Pokèmar Episode 1: The Gates to Infinity
by finalfrontier2048
Summary: Alex's Life is changed when he is mysteriously taken to a world inhabited by Mysterious creatures known as Pokemon and is thrust into events that threaten the very existence of life on this world... (An adaptation of Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity.) 1/11 in the Pokèmar series
1. Lost and Confused

Another long day. Every Monday is a pain in the neck. You relax for the weekend, when suddenly, all your responsibilities pounce on you. Where'd all the free time go? Oh yeah... Social networking. Still, as much time as G+ eats up, I doubt I would give it up without a fight. So many amazing friends are on there. I couldn't imagine myself without them anymore. But... Now, it's late. I've got a paper to start tomorrow and I need rest. I send out my "goodnight everyone" post on G+, plug my phone in so it's ready for tomorrow, and get under the covers. It's not long before I find myself drifting off... My tired eyes closing, my body relaxing, my mind conjuring up dreams...

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

...Where am I? Last thing I remember I was going to sleep. Now... What is this place? Whatever it is, I can only describe it as psychedelic. Colorful. Is this a dream? But... It feels real... And yet...

A voice calls out. "H–hello? Can anyone hear me?" I try to respond, but I find myself unable to speak. "If anyone is out there and you're listening to this, please, we need you. This world is in danger. We need–"

Need what? Why did you suddenly cut out? What's going on?

The entire landscape shudders. The voice is back. Louder and more urgent than ever. "HELP!" For a moment everything goes black. Then, I see something. A vision of sorts. A floating, pink, four legged creature is "running" from something. A large, navy blue, three headed dragon. The dragon roars as it chases down its prey. The pink one is desperate to escape, not wanting the monster to devour it. It reaches the edge of a cliff. It's trapped. There's no where left to run. Terrified, it turns to look at its assailant. The dragon lunges forward, jaws open. Then... Black again.

I'm back at the psychedelic world again. The voice speaks once more. "Please... Save our world... We will die without you... Please..." How am I supposed to do anything? I'm just a collage student for pete's sake! How the frick would I be able to save an entire world? I notice something in front of me, a pond. Why is there a pond here? What the heck?

For some odd reason, I feel compelled to stare at my reflection in the pond. I decide that I might as well. Bet what I see makes me jump. It's not the face of a young adult with glasses and brown hair staring at me... It's... I... I don't know what it is. Some sort of green serpent like thing with arms, legs, a leaf and the end of the tail and a neck that really shouldn't be able to support a head that size. Wait... Is... Is that me? I look at my hands. Green. Three fingered. No separation of the hand and arm. Just like the pond snake. That's me! I've been turned into this... Thing! What's happening to me?!

A flash of light. And... Where am I now? I'm... Falling! Somehow I appeared high up in the sky and am now falling at terminal velocity to my death! No... No it's just a dream... It's all a dream. I try the "pinch myself" Technique to wake my self up. ...nothing... It's not a dream... It's real. I'm going to die. There's no way to save myself. I'm going to die! With nothing left to do, I wait as the ground grows closer and closer, counting down the seconds until impact. 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... I feel the pain of the impact, then nothing.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"Hey? Snivy? What happened? Are you ok?"

A groan escapes my lips. Did... Did I live?

"That was a nasty looking fall. You're lucky all you got was a bruise."

I did! I lived! I open my eyes and am greeted to the sight of a yellow mouse-like creature with red cheeks. I jump, a bit from fright.

"Oh! Sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!"

I take a second to regain my composure. Whoever this was, they're sentient. And concerned for my well being. I might as well be polite. "Uh... It's–it's fine."

"Do you have a name?"

"Yeah. Alex. Alex Russet."

"Alex? That's a strange name."

"Strange? How so? Where I come from, it's perfectly normal."

"And where do you come from?"

"Wisconsin. United States."

"United... States? Where is that? Kalos Minor or something?"

"Kalos Minor? What's–" I notice something. My arms... Still like that pond snake. That wasn't a dream. "Agh! What happened to me?!"

"Alex? Are you ok?"

"I think I'm losing my mind! Am I even on Earth anymore?!"

"Earth? What are you talking about? Did you eat a rotten Berry or something?" Well... That answers that question. I'm not on earth anymore. I'm on an entirely different planet. Then... That makes this guy... Have I just made first contact with an alien race?! "Look, try and calm down. Tell me what happened."

"You wouldn't believe me."

"Try me."

"...you're sure." He nods. "Well... Ok then. I'm a human from a planet known as Earth. I was getting some sleep after a long day and... I woke up in this really weird place. This voice said that I need to save this world from... Something. They ported me in the sky, I fell and... Now I'm here."

"..."

"See? I told you that you wouldn't believe me."

"No. I believe you."

"Wait... Really?"

"Yeah. There have been rumors of it happening before. Though most Pokemon think humans are the things of myth and fairy tales," Pokemon? Is that what they call themselves? "But I think that there's truth behind it. So yeah. I believe you."

"I... Thanks..."

"Pikachu."

"Thanks, Pikachu. So what are you doing out here?"

"Oh, I was on my way to... Oh! No! I'm going to be late! Come on!" Pikachu grabs my hand and starts running.

"Woah! What a minute! What's going on! Slow down!"


	2. New Home

"Pikachu! Hold up! Where are we going?!"

"No time. We need to go!"

We kept running. From what little I can gather, Pikachu is late for... Something. A date? A job interview? Work? Why is he taking me with him? I'd follow him anyway. He's my only guide to this strange new world. Without him, I'm lost.

Eventually, we reach a gap in the path. It's far too large for us to jump and if we fall, well... Let's just say that it wouldn't end like my skydive.

Pikachu looks at the pit, panicking. "No! No, this is the only way there! We need to get across!" He looks around frantically for a moment, then holds his gaze on a cave entrance. Looking to the inter side of the chasm, there's another cave entrance. "Thats it's! That's how we'll get across!"

"Do you even know if the two tunnels even connect?"

"Only one way to find out. Oh, and be on your guard. Who knows who we'll run across."

Which those words, I feel an anxious feeling in my gut. Like being given a test you had no idea was coming and never studied for. "On my guard?! What are you– and he gone..." With no choice, I followed him into the cave.

It isn't long before we encounter what Pikachu was probably talking about. I couldn't believe my eyes. Two gears, 90 degrees from each other, moving. And it has a face. It's alive.

"Klink. Not a problem. We'll just fight past."

"Fight? Fight?! I've never fought someone in my life!" Of course, he was already attacking the "Klink." But... How he did it was what shocked me the most. Those red cheeks started sparking with electricity. Then a huge discharge of electricity arcs between him and the Klink. The Klink, somehow still alive after that passes out. All I can do is stare, jaw agape. "H–h–how–"

"I'll explain later. Let's keep moving." So we do. Eventually, we do indeed make it to the other side of the chasm. "See? It worked. Come on! We're almost there."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

Ahead there is a barren wasteland. It looks completely uninhabitable. Why are we going there? Is there some significance to this place?

Pikachu calls out. "Quagsire! I'm here! I'm sorry I'm late!" A blue aquatic creature, I'm guessing another "Pokemon," approaches us.

"Hmmm... I see. Hmmm... I was close to leaving. Hmmm... But I figured I'd stay for a little while longer."

Pikachu looks at him, relived. "Thank you. I was worried for a moment there."

"Hmmm... Not to worry. Hmmm... So you brought the money?"

"Yeah. 1200 Pokè." Thunder takes out a bag filled with golden coins and hands it to Quagsire, who takes out a roll of paper and hands it to Pikachu.

"Thanks!"

"Hmmm... I should be thanking you. Hmmm... I've been trying to rid myself of this plot for a while now." Wait... Pikachu bought this barren plot of land? Why? The cost to renovate it enough for it to be a viable plot would be staggering. "Hmmm... Pleasure doing business with you. Hmmm... Farewell." With that, Quagsire leaves.

Now, time for answers. "Ok. Pikachu, I have a lot of questions. And number one is this. Why did you buy a plot of land that looks like the essence of life itself abandoned this place?"

"Mostly because of its close proximity to mystery dungeons."

"Proximity to what?"

"Mystery dungeons. Areas that have some mysterious properties. Always changing, always exciting to travel through. Though, look back... I'm not sure if it was worth the cost. That was almost all my money."

Ok, well I'm not going to badger him about questionable real estate choices. "So... That... Thing. That... Electric... Thing... Back in the cave. How did you do that?"

"It's just a natural ability of mine. Me cheeks generate and store electricity that I can discharge at will. All Pikachu can do it."

"That's... Actually pretty cool. Is there anything I can do?"

"You're a grass type so your moves are mostly plant based."

"Like vines and seeds and such?"

"Yeah. Perhaps later I can show you the ropes of combat."

"Fighting is an important aspect here?"

"Heck yeah! It's a sport to most. Though it's also in defense."

"Interesting. Also, what do you plan to do with this land?"

"Oh, this? I'm planning to create a haven for Pokemon interested in adventure. I'll call it Pokemon Paradise."

"That's an ambitious project... How do you plan to do it?"

"I... I never actually thought that far ahead... But we'll figure something out."

"'We?'"

"Yeah. We. You don't have a place to stay. You may as well live with me." Uh... Stay with a stranger I just met? Is that safe? Well... He's right. I've got nowhere to stay. I guess... I might as well. Besides. He seems nice enough.

"...good point. I suppose you're right. I'll stay." I swear, he looks like he looks like a kid on Christmas Day. He's so filled with joy.

"Yeah! We're going to have so much fun!" I'll admit, it's slightly infectious. I can't help but smile.

"It's starting to get late. Where do we stay?" Almost immediately, his smile fades.

"Oh... Oh... Uh..."

"Didn't think that far ahead?"

"No. No I didn't." Well... This is brilliant.

"Guess we're sleeping under the stars."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

We got a fire going and made some rather primitive sleeping bags. It's not much, but given the circumstances, I'm glad we have something.

"Hey... Alex?"

"Hm?"

"I wonder... In legend, humans liked to give familiar Pokemon nicknames that they'd call them. Since we're going to be living together... Would you like to give me one?"

"Sure. Uh... Let's see... Shock? no. Static? Nah. Sparky? Mh, maybe... Oh! I got it. Thunder. I'll call you Thunder."

"Thunder... I like it. Yeah. It sounds powerful. Alright. From now on, I'm Thunder.

I smirk a little and yawn. "I suppose we should rest up."

"Yeah. You're right. Goodnight Alex."

"Goodnight, Thunder." And with that, we drift off to sleep.


	3. Contractor

"Hmmm... Had a good night's rest?"

Thunder groaned. "No..."

I was just waking up myself. The night was long, cold, and very uncomfortable. It appears that Thunder fared no better. "Quagsire?" I yawned. "What are you doing back here?"

"Hmmm... I was just checking up on you. Hmmm... It appears that you don't have a home yet." Yeah. No duh. Why else would we be sleeping exposed to the elements. Also, forget your bad hair day. Thunder looks like a mess. His fur going every which way. Man, grooming that must suck.

"Do you have any idea how to build one? Or maybe some who does?"

"Hmmm... Yes, actually. Hmmm... In the nearby town of Post Town, there is a Gurrdur who has a long history of construction. Hmmm... If there's anyone that can build you a home, it's him and his team."

"Can you take us there?"

"Hmmm... Absolutely."

"Great! I'll get washed up in the river and get ready to go!"

"Hmmm... Sounds good. Hmmm... I'll just meet you back here."

"Sounds like a plan. Come on, Alex. Let's go."

I get up and stretch, still groggy from my sleepless night. But, we need a home so I'll just have to deal. We make our way to a nearby river and wash up. Sadly, the river is not warm. Quite the opposite. It's fricking frigid! Well, on the bright side, it woke we up. It did that very well.

With both of us cleaned (and Thunder's fur back in order) we return to Quagsire.

"Alright. We're ready to go." Thunder says.

"Hmmm... Good. Hmmm... Let's go then."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

A short while later, we arrive at Post Town. It's a cozy little place. Not much there, but still. The main feature was the inn built into the side of a hill known as Swanna's inn. Apparently, that's where we're meeting up with Gurrdur.

I notice how primitive everything here is compared to back home. No electricity, no running water, none of the amenities that I would take for granted back home. Still, it feels... Simple. No need for convoluted repairs, things are so much more peaceful. I could get used to this. Part of me just wants to stay in this world for the rest of my life. But I can't. I have a family and friends back home. I couldn't just abandon them. Maybe I could–

"Hey! Rockhead! Watch where you're going!" My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of an argument between a duck and a rock... I can't believe that's actually happening...

"Maybe you should be the one to watch out! I'm the small one here! You should be watching out for me!"

"Ugh! Get lost you little piece of stone!" With that, the two angrily part ways.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

"This world is slowly becoming colder and more callous. People are looking out for themselves more than they are others. It's getting really bad in some places. Some are even comparing it to the hostilities from the Great War."

"Great War?"

"I'd explain, but we really need to get that house built."

"Fair enough." We enter the inn. The first floor appears to be a food court. And a rather graceful looking swan (I'm going to guess that's Swanna) serving the residents. At one of the tables there's a rather muscular Pokemon holding an I-beam. He's probably the most human–like Pokemon I've come across yet.

"Hmmm... That's him. Hmmm... That Gurrdur." My stomach starts growling. I suppose I haven't eaten anything yet. I probably should.

"I'm a bit hungry. Mind if I go get something to eat while you work out the details with Gurrdur?"

"Sure." Thunder replies. He hands me a few Pokè. "Remember that we are a bit tight on cash. Try not to get anything too expensive." And he's trusting me, some guy he just met yesterday, with his money? Even when he's so tight on his budget? We're he back on Earth poor thing would be taken advantage of left and right.

"Alright. I won't." I tell him honestly.

I walk up to the main counter. One of the first things I notice is that there are no meat based products. Mostly berries, seeds, and greens. Thinking about it, considering the huge diversity of Pokemon out here, there are probably not any forms of livestock. And eating other Pokemon would be cannibalism. So it makes sense.

So I look over the menu and find a nice looking cheap Berry platter. Now for something to drink. Oh... Ok... They all have unique names. Flamethrower, aeroblast, dragon breath, heat wave, very nice sounding names, but the descriptions depict ingredients that don't exist on earth. How do I know how they taste?

"Need some help?" Next to me, a monkey–like Pokemon that looks like he's a fan of fire chimes in helpfully.

"Uh yeah. I'm kinda lost. What drink should I order? Nothing to expensive, please. Budget constraints and all that."

"Sure. Let's see..." He looks over the menu. *If you're a fan of spicy, I'd recommend you go with the Heat Wave. Word of warning, though. It's Got a little kick to it." Spicy? Yeah. Back on earth I've been growing fond of spicy foods. Is say it's worth a try.

"Thanks..."

"Pansear"

"Right. Thanks Pansear." I turn my attention to the server. "I'll have the mixed berry platter and one small Heat Wave, please."

"Coming right up." Swanna said cheerfully. After a few minutes, my food arrives. I'm quite curious as to the flavor of the Heat Wave drink so I take a sip. That was a mistake. That thing was hot. Like volcano hot. Like surface of the sun hot. And... Did I just breathe out fire?! What is in this thing?! The fire coats my berries and Swanna ducks out of the way, almost as if she knew it was going to happen. After the first fireball I cover my mouth, not wanting to burn down the inn. Swanna casually sets out a glass of milk which I immediately gulp down to quell the flames.

With the painful ordeal over I turn to Pansear, who looks about ready to burst into laughter. "A LITTLE kick?"

"So I underestimated it a little."

"Ugh. You and I have very different definitions of 'little'." With that I eat my now toasted berries as Pansear finally gives and doubles over in laughter.


	4. Stone Hunt

"What was all the commotion back there?" Thunder asked as we departed the inn.

"Just some stupid prank pulled on me." I replied. "I swear, my tongue is still numb from that. Anyways. You got everything with Gurrdur sorted out?"

"Yeah. He says that we need to get a bag of shiny stones from Stony Cave as payment."

"Not to be rude or anything, but if he wants these stones, why not get them himself?"

"I assume it's because he injured his back so he's not in the best condition."

"..."

"What wrong?"

"Something doesn't add up. He's a construction worker. If his injury is as bad as you say, why is he offering his services to build our home? That sort of work would be bad for anyone trying to recover from an injury."

"So... What are you saying?"

"I'm saying keep an eye on him. Something feels off."

"...if you say so."

"Anyways, what can you tell me about Stony Cave?"

"It's one of those mystery dungeons I told you about. Not a very dangerous one, thankfully, but still, keep your wits about you. Wouldn't want you to be hurt by a hostile Pokemon."

"So I might get my first taste of combat?"

"It's likely."

"Alright then. Lead the way, I suppose."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

Stony Cave itself looked pretty ordinary and unassuming. By all accounts, it was just a cave. "I expected a mystery dungeon to be more... For lack of a better word, mysterious." I said.

"Never judge a book by it's cover, Alex. There is more to this place than meets the eye. Come on. Let's go." Thunder leads me into the cave. The journey is mostly uneventful. Just exploring and trying to head deeper. Then we came across another Pokemon. A Drillbur, according to Thunder. "It's your time to shine Alex. Give him what for!"

"You're serious? You're just going to drop my into a fight?"

"Don't worry. Combat comes naturally to a Pokemon. You'll see. Besides. I'm here if something goes wrong."

"...Alright." I take a deep breath. "Let's do this." I move up the the Drillbur, who looks absolutely ready to fight. How did I get myself into this? No... No. I need to do this. I need to fight this guy. Let's go. I rush him and deliver a right hook. In response he bares his claws and swipes them at me. I stay just outside of his strike range. It dawns on me that punches and kicks are not going to do it for me. Wait... Thunder said I was a grass type. So... I have abilities like that... I think about vines trying to get them to extend. All the while the Drillbur continues to try to get me. Soon he gets too close and swipes. But something defects it. What? Was that Thunder? Wait... No... They were vines. Green, slender vines extending from my "shoulders." How did I...

Never mind, I have them now I might as well use them. I bring my vines to bear on my opponent and crack them like a bullwhip. It definitely hurt him. And it definitely hurt me. Note to self, striking like a bullwhip is a painful idea. I wrapped my vines around the Drillbur, pinning his arms to his sides. I then toss him across the room. He smacks hard against the wall, knocking him out.

"You did it! Your first victory!"

"I... I did. I won. Heh... That was actually sorta fun."

"But you're only just starting. You still need a lot of practice."

"One thing at a time. I want to enjoy the moment"

"I know exactly how you feel. But we still need to keep moving."

"Right. Lead on, Thunder."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

Soon we reached the deepest point of the cave. What we saw there was... Well... It was really something. There were reflective stones everywhere. They looked almost like jewels.

"Woah..." I said to no one in particular. "This is amazing."

"I know, right? Hold on while I nab a few stones."

So I waited patiently for Thunder to finish gathering the stones. I couldn't help but wonder, how many places like this existed on this planet? (Which everyone seems to refer to as "Pokèmar) And just how many Pokemon are there? There must be hundreds of species that roam the surface. This world is beyond anything I have ever seen in my life. It almost feels like a utopia. But... Then there's what Thunder said when we entered post town. He talked about how the world was becoming more and more callous. It's sad, really. No mater where in the universe you go, you can't escape the cruelty of life.

My train of thought is interrupted when I glance at one of the larger reflective stones and see my reflection. The sight makes me jump. It took me a moment to realize that it was me. This new body is going to take some getting used to.

"Alright, Alex. I got our stones. Let's head back."

"Ready when you are. Let's go build ourselves a home."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

It didn't take us long to get back to paradise. We were just about to enter the inn when a yellow lizard-like Pokemon dashes for the door, knocking over Thunder in the process.

"Oh! I-I'm terribly sorry! I'm j-j-just in a hurry!" And with that, he dashes away.

"What was that all about?" I said as I pulled Thunder back up.

"I don't know, but he sure needs to look where he was going."

"You ok?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"Then let's go."

We enter the cafeteria area, where Gurrdur is waiting for us.

"Ah! There you two are!" He called out. "I was starting to get worried. You got the stones I asked for?"

"Yeah." Thunder replied. "I'll just get them..." Thunder reaches into his bag. His expression changes to one of surprise, then of mild fear. "What? I... I knew I... Where did..."

"Thunder?" I questioned. "What's wrong?"

"It's the stones. They're gone."


	5. Thief

"Gone?! What do you mean gone!?" I asked surprised.

"They're just gone! The bag's empty!"

"How? I know you put the stones in. I saw them!"

"I don't know... Gurrdur, I'm sorry. I swear we had the stones."

"Well I can't help you if you don't bring me the stones." Gurrdur said. "That was the deal. But nothing's stopping you from getting more. That cave is full of them."

"True," Thunder replied. "But..."

"I'm sorry. No negotiations. We put the deal in place. I'm not changing it."

"Thunder, let's go." I spoke up. "His mind is set. We should go again before it gets dark."

Thunder thinks for a moment. "...You're right, Alex. We should go." With that being said, we leave the inn and start back towards Stony Cave. "I don't get it. I had the stones. I knew I had them!"

"What about that lizard Pokemon?"

"The Scraggy?"

"Yeah. Him. Maybe when he bumped into you they fell out?"

"I'm fairly sure that I'd have seen that if it happened. But it doesn't hurt to check."

We return to the entrance to the inn where we come across two Timburrs that work for Gurrdur. "Hey guys." I said. "Mind seeing if you can't help us find the stones?"

"Actually..." The first one started. "We have something to tell you..."

"Those stones you're looking for..." The second continued. "They were stolen."

Thunder looked at them, shocked. "Stolen?! By who?!"

"The Scraggy..." I answered. "He pickpocketed us."

"He what?"

"It's a covert way that some thieves use to steal from people. You pretend to walk into them or pass behind them and then take something from them. If they're skilled enough, they will never realize before it's too late."

"Well we need to get them back. We can't let this sort of thing go unpunished."

The first Timburr chimes in. "He was headed to Hazy Pass. If you're fast you might catch him."

"Well then what are we waiting for?! Let's go!"

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

Mystery dungeon names sure are... Well... Accurate, actually. A perpetual thin layer of fog coated the caverns and cliff tops that made up this treacherous path. One wrong step and it will be the last step you will ever take in this life.

"Stay alert, Alex." Thunder said. "Wouldn't want you to fall."

"Don't worry. Falling is the last thing I plan on doing."

We continued forward, battling the occasional hostile Pokemon. The ones here were much more dangerous than the ones back at the cave so having Thunder with me was a great help. It reminded me how thankful I was that I came across him. There is no way I'd have survived for longer that a day without his guidance. Once we're done here I should probably tell him that.

We exit another cavern section and step onto another cliff top

"Alex!" Thunder said in a hushed voice. "There he is!" Sure enough, there he was. Just standing around.

"It looks like he's waiting for someone. Probably to sell of those stones."

"Probably some client he was hired by. So... How should we take him?" At that moment, I heard something. Footsteps. Coming from behind us. We couldn't risk getting spotted. I grab Thunder and got him and me behind a rock, out of view of either of the two. "Hey! What are you doing?"

"Quiet. I think our 'client' has arrived."

Who the "client" was neither of us could have expected. It was Gurrdur. I had to cover my mouth to avoid giving us away. Why is Gurrdur here? Why is he dealing with a thief? What's going on here?

"Hey, Gurrdur." The Scraggy said. "The lift went off without a hitch. They were none the wiser."

"Excellent." Said Gurrdur. "I just sent them on another run. They'll be back in an hours or so with more stones."

"How long will we do this?"

"We keep going until they stop falling for it." Wait... What?! This whole thing was a ruse?! They lure us in promising to give us what we asked for, but instead use us to give them easy money?! Unbelievable!

"Thunder, I say we show them a piece of our mind." I tell him.

"That's not exactly a good idea. We should just go and find someone else." While his argument is logical, I'm too upset to just leave this matter unresolved. I leave the hiding spot and confront them.

"So, you just take advantage of those that ask for help? Is that what I gather from this?"

"What?!" Gurrdur exclaimed in surprise. "But you were off to Stony Cave! I saw it!

"You were listening in?" The Scraggy said "Then you know too much. We need to be rid of you." Oh... Thunder was right. I should have just left it alone. Gurrdur lifts his I-beam up, preparing to hammer me with it. However, Thunder shocks him, causing him to fall over stunned. I take advantage of this. I latch onto him with my vines and launch myself at him. However, rather that hitting him in the face, I was hit by his fist in the gut, sending me flying backwards.

Meanwhile, Thunder was fighting Scraggy. Scraggy tries to ram into Thunder with his head, but Thunder is quick on his feet and dodges expertly. He retaliates with his tail, smacking into Scraggy and disorienting him. Thunder then charges up a sphere of electricity and fires it as scraggy, who tries to dodge, though unsuccessfully. Thunder then prepares to deliver the knockout blow. Using his electric abilities, he summons a small thunderstorm that stricken the Scraggy, knocking him out.

Meanwhile I'm still trying to evade Gurrdur's I-beam. But I spot a weak point. The wound from his back injury is exposed. I could probably do some damage by hitting that. Thunder, apparently thinking something similar, hits Gurrdur with a thunder wave, inducing a temporary paralysis. With Gurrdur unable to retaliate, I smack the wound with my vine. As expected, Gurrdur doubles over in pain. And with one strike from my tail to his face, he falls over unconscious.


	6. Compassion

After a short while, the two outlaws started waking up.

"Ugh..." Gurrdur grunted. "What happened?"

"We beat you." I reply. "We got into a fight and you lost."

"Oh... Yeah... I remember now. I guess you runts want your stones back."

"No. We have no reason to keep them."

"Why?" Thunder asked. "Why did you use us like that?"

"Because in today's world, honest working folk are left behind. These days it's about success through any means necessary, no matter how immoral. It's take or be taken advantage of."

"The 'nice guys finish last' mentality... I'm all too familiar with that..." I mused.

Gurrdur slowly gets himself up, having some trouble staying steady. "Then you should know that you two don't stand a chance in this world unless you harden your hearts and do whatever it takes to win." Suddenly the two Timburr rush up behind us, looking over the scene that presents itself.

"So you found them." One of them said. "I hope you didn't have to hurt Gurrdur too badly."

Gurrdur looks at them, angry. "What?! You told them where to find me?!"

"We're not putting up with this any longer. We want the old Gurrdur back! The one we enjoyed working for!"

"That Gurrdur is dead. He died long ago. I'm all that's left. And I don't tolerate betrayal!" With that he smacks them both with his I-beam and leaves. Scraggy, unsure of what to do, simply sneaks away in the commotion. Thunder and I rush to the Timburr's aid.

"Are you hurt?" Thunder asks.

"No. We're ok." One replies.

"You said you wanted the 'old Gurrdur' back." I say, curious. "What did you mean by that?"

"He wasn't always like this. When we first met him he was jolly, kind, and so much fun to work with. He loved his work. Building was his passion. Even after that debilitating injury he pushed forward and kept working. But... That changed after a certain project. Someone asked him to build him a house. Gurrdur was in a very good mood that day. He poured his heart and soul into that building. He was so proud. Then the client just... Destroyed it. Burned it to the ground. All that work was just... Gone. Something snapped in him that day. He changed. His heart grew cold, he stopped building all together. He resorted to scams like this to make a living. For a while we just went along with it but..."

"We can't do it anymore." The other interjected. "We need him back to his old self. Sadly I don't think that's possible anymore." Wow... That has to be hard. Having someone you care about change like that. That's heartbreaking.

I turn to face Thunder. "I wish there was something we could do..."

Thunder thinks for a moment. "...Maybe there is."

"What are you thinking about?"

"The turning point was the destruction of that home that he put so much effort into, right? So what if we insist for him to build ours? Get him doing what he loves again."

"Would he even listen to us?"

"Probably not. But he might listen to them." Thunder gestures to the Timburr. I'm a slight bit skeptical. I'm not entirely confident that this will work. But... On the other hand, maybe the voice of reason is exactly what he needs.

"You two willing to try?" I ask.

"Yes. Yes we are."

"Then let's go."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

Eventually we find Gurrdur. We pick up the pace to catch up.

"Gurrdur! Wait!" Thunder called out.

He turns around to look at us. "Not you four again... Let me guess. You're here to rub salt in the wound?"

"No. Not even close." I reply. "We're here to ask you to help build our house."

"So you are here to mock me. Why would you want someone like me to build your home? There's no reason to trust me."

"They know, Gurrdur. They know what happened." One of the Timburr says. "We miss the old you. The one that loved his job. The one that cared for those around him. The one that suffered a debilitating injury and still kept going because he loved what he did. Please..."

"I've already told you. That part of me is gone. It died when they destroyed my work."

"He's not gone." Thunder replied. "He's still in there. I understand. You were heartbroken. You saw your work go up in flames. But you can't let that destroy who you are. You are Gurdurr. The builder who loves his work. The man who won't let anything get between him and his passion. You are not a thief. You are not a scammer. You are a builder."

"We care too much to let you stay like this." A Timburr adds. "We can start anew. So what do you say?"

Tears are welling up in Gurrdur's eyes. "You... You actually care that much? For someone who just tried to manipulate you?" With those words, the dam broke. Tears flooded forth as he sobbed. Not very manly, but at this point, who really cares? This isn't a tough guy moment. This is a tender heart moment. "Thank you... I... I've never been treated with compassion like that. I'm sorry. You're right. This is not me."

"All is forgiven." I reply.

"And you two." He looks to the Timburr. "Thank you for holding out hope for me."

"We're just glad you're back, boss." We let him cry it out. No use rushing things.

After a while, he gets himself under control. "So... Enough of me crying like a hatchling," wait... Hatchling? "Let's go build a house!"

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

We set to work building the house. Needless to say, it's tiring work. But with all five of us working on it, we're making progress. After a few days, our work is completed. The house may not be the most aesthetically pleasing one out there, but it's got a homely feel to it.

"Sorry that it's a bit rubbish. It's been a while since I've actually built something."

"It's perfect! I love it!" Thunder exclaimed. I'd probably have said something similar, but he beat me too it. Besides, Gurrdur needs his self confidence back. If there's one person who can elicit positivity, it's Thunder.

"It's getting late. We should rest." I say.

"You're right." Gurrdur agrees. "Goodnight, then. Enjoy your new home."

"I'm sure we will. Come on, Alex."

Exhausted from a long, hard days work, we plop into our beds and quick nod off.


	7. First Mission

"Rise and shine, Alex! It's a new day!"

I get up and yawn in response to hearing the cheerful voice of Thunder. That was the best rest I've had in a few days. I never thought that straw nest beds could be so comfortable. Course, then again, we've been using those archaic sleeping bags for the last week. Anything will feel like an expensive King-size bed after that.

"Morning Thunder. Sleep well?" I asked.

"Absolutely. A roof over my head, a warm bed to sleep in, it was so peaceful compared to before." He replied.

"No argument there. So, what's the plan for today?"

"Follow me. I'll show you."

At the entrance to Paradise, things have changed. There are a few basic buildings manned by various Pokemon. "When did this happen?" I asked.

"It's been going on for a while. You were so busy with the house that you didn't notice it." Thunder replied.

"Well, look who's up and about." A familiar voice rang out. Gurrdur? I turn to the right to face the source of the voice. Sure enough, there he was. Him and his team. The had build their own residence here. The structure itself was rectangular in nature and has I-beams framing the outside.

"Gurrdur! Good to see you again." I replied.

"Your friend asked is we would be willing to help build Pokemon Paradise. After everything you've done for us, how could I refuse? Besides, I need to get back in the groove."

"That's awesome, Gurrdur! Thank you! But... How will we pay for your services?"

Thunder chimes in. "That's where the request board comes in." He gestures to the notice board behind us. It was covered in flyers asking for assistance in some way, shape, or form. This is updated daily by Azumarill here," the blue, spherical, rabbit eared Pokemon manning the desk to our right waves in response. "with requests from Pokemon in need. Be it rescue, recovery, escort, or even outlaw takedowns."

"Can we even handle outlaw hunting?" I ask.

"With practice, sure. Each request has a reward attached to it. So essentially, we get paid to help people."

"Sounds like a good deal."

"Yeah. I can't wait to actually have a team to help us."

"A team?"

"That's right. A team. There's an organization called HAPPI that can supply us with equipment should we qualify as a team."

"What qualifications are those?"

"Not much, really. Just a minimum of four members, an agreement to help those in need, and a base to operate from."

"So we're two members short. Maybe we'll find someone while on a mission."

"That's the hope." Thunder takes a flyer from the board. Apparently it's from an "Emolga" asking for help to find his "Dunsparce" friend at Stompstump Peak.

"That's the one you want to do?" I ask.

"Yeah. Sure the reward's a bit small, but it really doesn't matter. I just want to help someone." That's quite the selfless attitude. I like it. "Ready to go when you are."

"Let's go rescue a Dunsparce."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"I'm starting to get a hang of this combat stuff." I say as I force a Bagon into a retreat. Stompstump Peak is far from a safe place. Despite this, early indications pointed to this place being a public recreational area of sorts. Visitors were challenged to make it to the peak. Guess fighting is nowhere near as big a deal on Pokèmar than it is on earth as we have been battling enemies left and right in these caves. Though most of them were unable to do any significant damage. Still, I'd expect a bit more in the way of safety in a location that's open to the general public.

"Good to hear. The better you can fight, the better off you'll be." Thunder replied.

"Hang on... I think I found something."

"Huh? What its it?" Thunder dashes over to me. What I had found were two blue bandanas. They were a bit dusty, but were in good shape.

"Might these have been dropped by our Dunsparce?"

"Hard to say. These things have a tendency to just appear in dungeons. Best hold onto them. Just in case." He picks them up and puts them in his bag.

"So these bandanas just... Appear?"

"Pretty much."

"I'm pretty sure that would be a violation of the Law of the Conservation of Mass." Thunder just stares at me, confused. Guess he doesn't study science like I do. "Never mind. I'm friends with someone who can summon thunderstorms. I'm in no position to say what is and isn't possib-holy crap..." My words were cut short after encountering an incredible sight. A massive crystal formation. Sky blue crystals jutting out from the wall reflecting light and bathing the cavern in a blue glow.

"That's amazing... I've never seen anything like it." Thunder says in awe of the spectacle.

"I kinda want a, piece as a keepsake."

"Same here." Thunder grabs onto one of the smaller crystals and yanks it free. "Now comes the trouble of where it'll go in our house."

"One step at a time, Thunder. We still have a rescue to finish."

"Oh yeah! Sorry, I got sidetracked. Lead on."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"I think I see someone ahead." I say, spotting what looks to be a cream colored snakelike Pokemon.

"Dunsparce?" Thunder asks.

"It's likely. Come on!" We pick up the pace, soon reaching the Pokemon, who seems somewhat timid from our presence.

"What do you want? Don't hurt me!"

"Relax." I say. "We're here to help you. We're getting you out of here."

"Who sent you?" He asked.

"Someone named Emolga. He sent out a request for asking for someone to find you." With that, he relaxes, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Good old Emolga. Always looking out for me. Best to not keep him waiting. He can be a bit impatient."

"Then let's not keep him waiting." Thunder says. "Let's go." We start back towards the entrance with Thunder and I acting as escort for Dunsparce.


	8. Cold Heart

When we got back to paradise, Emolga was there, waiting for us. He vaguely resembles a flying squirrel with his rodent-like appearance and thin membrane under the arms. He also sported yellow cheeks that were not unlike Thunder's red cheeks. Their species must be related in some way.

"Emolga!" Dunsparce called out. "I'm here! I'm alright!"

"Dunsparce!" Emolga responds. He runs to his friend's side. "I was so worried! I'm so glad you're safe!" He turns to Thunder and me. "Thank you. Both of you. You have my gratitude." I smile in response. I've always loved helping people. There's just something about hearing their gratitude or knowing that I made their lives easier in some way that makes me feel good. And this is my job!

Emolga hands us the promised reward. It's not much, but, like an old saying goes, "virtue is it's own reward."

"I wish I could give you more for this. But we're a bit low on money." He says.

"I know what you mean." Thunder replies. "And it's just fine. We're just glad he's not hurt."

"What was he doing there in the first place?" I ask.

"I don't know." Emolga responds. "He left without letting me know."

"I was looking for one of those crystals that grow in those caves." Dunsparce answered. "Sadly I didn't find any." Crystals? Like the ones we found? Thunder and I exchange glances. I could tell he was thinking the same thing.

Thunder takes the crystal out of our bag and shows it to them. "You mean this?"

"Yes! Yes! That's what I was looking for!" He exclaimed in excitement.

"Wait... Why do you..." Emolga started to say, then he apparently put two and two together and figured it out in his head. "Ohhhhhhh... You cheeky little land snake! I should have guessed."

Meanwhile Thunder and I just stood there, confused. "Does, does someone want to fill me in on this?" I ask.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

Well... Let's just say that I get what they were referring to. Dunsparce appears to be smitten with a really attractive Pokemon. Her name is Virizion (no relation to the wireless service provider). And fricking heck, if she isn't one of the most stunning creatures I've seen in my entire life. She's quite a bit larger than us, a quadruped, green, and graceful to top it off. Apparently, she's a legendary. Legendaries apparently are among the most powerful Pokemon on Pokèmar. Sheesh, is there anything this gal isn't?!

As she strolls through Post Town, everyone becomes captivated by her beauty.

"Oh... I'm not so sure about this..." Dunsparce says nervously.

"Come on." Emolga says. "You've been waiting for this forever. I'm not going to let you fail because you're nervous." As Virizion enters the inn, Emolga starts pushing Dunsparce into the inn as well.

"No! Wait! Emolga! Stop! I'm not ready!"

"I'm not letting you wuss out on me, buddy. It's time to do this."

With nothing else to do, we decide to follow them.

Inside. Virizion is ordering a drink. Here's hoping she doesn't make the same mistake I did. That Heatwave's a menace.

"Emolga. I can't do this. Please, I can't." Dunsparce begs his friend.

"Relax, Dunsparce. I'm here for you every step of the way." Emolga says, smiling.

"...alright... I can do this... I can do this..." Nervously, he bounces over to her. "V-Virizion?"

"Hm?" She turns to look at him, causing the poor Dunsparce to sweat with anxiety. Emolga walks up to Dunsparce's side, resting his hand on his back. Feeling his friend's presence, he calms down somewhat. "I have s-something for you." He takes out the crystal and gives it to her. The entire dining hall goes quiet, everyone watching this go down. "Please accept this as a token of my... My... My friendship!" He finally gets the words out. "I want you to be with me. As a friend, companion, and maybe even something more." We wait in bated breath for the response. Finally, after what felt like forever, she responds.

"...No. I will not."

"What?! B-but..." Dunsparce stutters.

"How am I to trust you? For all I know you would stab me in the back the moment you got the chance. You're not even strong enough for me to even consider you as a potential ally. I have no interest in doing anything with you." Oh... Wow... That was so callous! Her words went deep. They tore him to peices. And she doesn't even care. I watch, saddened as Dunsparce fights to hold in his tears and dashes out of the door.

Emolga's shock turns to rage. "How could you be so cold-hearted! Do you know how much your words hurt him?! He opened his heart to you and you just, spat in it without so much as an apology! I can't believe this!"

"I don't see why I should care. He let himself be affected by my words. It's no one's fault but his own."

"Right. And I'm sure that if I thunderbolted you right now, it wouldn't be my fault you got hurt!" He turns to look back towards the entrance. "I've got to go after him now. Thanks to YOU! I don't want to ever see that face of yours ever again!" With that, he runs off to find his friend.

The cafeteria is punctuated with an awkward silence as everyone tries to absorb what had just happened. Eventually, though, everyone just goes back to what they were doing.

"I feel so sorry for the poor fella. The least she could have done is be polite about it." I said.

"I know... Come on. Let's go help find him." Thunder replies.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

 _"You hear that?"_

 _"Yeah. He certainly looks heartbroken."_

 _"And desperate. The best part is he's new here. He hasn't heard of us. He's naive. The perfect target."_

 _"I like the way you think. So, what's the plan?"_

 _"We take him to where no one can hear his screams and..."_

 _"No need to continue, my partner in crime. I know what you mean."_

 _"Then let's get to it."_


	9. Sorrow

I give the little guy this, he sure can hide. We've been searching for over half an hour and found nothing.

"For goodness sake, Dunsparce," Emolga muttered. "Where on Pokèmar are you?"

"Maybe we should be asking around. Maybe someone around here has seen him." I suggest.

"Good idea, Alex." Emolga gestures to Quagsire to ask him about his friend's whereabouts. "Have you seen a Dunsparce around in the last half hour? Probably holding a crystal?"

"Hmmm... I believe so. Hmmm... He was talking with some Pawniards who said they could help him."

Thunder became nervous. "Pawniards? How many were there?"

"Hmmm... Two, I believe."

Thunder's concerned expression grew. Is there something wrong with Pawniards? "Did one of them have a scar on their left arm?!"

"Hmmm... I believe so."

"Oh no... This is not good..."

"Thunder?" I ask. "What's wrong?"

"I know who they are. The Pawniard Brothers. Leaders of a team of thieves. And if they have Dunsparce..."

"They'll rob him blind." Emolga interjects. "We need to help him! Quagsire! Where were they going?!"

"Hmmm... To Desolate Canyon, I believe."

"Of course. A remote area in the middle of nowhere." Thunder said to himself. "No one will be there to help him..." He turns to us. "We need to hurry. Get your things and let's go!"

 _Virizion_

Virizion quietly sipped her drink, thinking about what had just happened. People looking for her affection was far from anything new. Quite the contrary. It's hard for her not to get asked by someone. Of course the response was all the same. No. She made it clear and blunt. It hardly mattered to her if it hurt them. She doesn't trust anyone but herself. Not after what _he_ did to her. She refuses to risk that sort of pain again. But... This time feels different. She feels guilty. She players the Emolga's words over in her head. _"He opened his heart to you and you just, spat in it without so much as an apology!"_

He was right. She did do that. She unapologetically tore into the Dunsparce's heart without even acknowledging the damage she caused. Just like _him_. What was she doing?! This isn't like her! She was better that this. Than him. Unfortunately the damage was done. An apology won't heal a shattered heart, but it's the best she can do. She left the inn and encountered Quagsire.

"Hey... Quagsire?"

"Hmmm... Yes?"

"Have you seen Dunsparce around? I have something to say to him."

"Hmmm... Alex, Thunder, and Emolga all asked me the same thing. Two Pawniards took him to Desolate Canyon." It didn't take long for her to work out why that was bad. She considered abandoning the plan, but thought about it and realized that this was her responsibility. She caused this. So she needs to resolve it.

"Wait... Desolate Canyon?!" A voice from behind them announced. "That place is a breeding ground for unsavory characters!" Virizion turns around and sees Gurrdur walk up behind her. "If Dunsparce is there, odds are he's going to be dead in the following week. You're going to need some help. Let me and my crew come. We'll make short work of anyone who stands in our way." Virizion hesitates. Can he be trusted? After all, he was a criminal for a long while. He could very easily turn on her. But... He's right. Desolate Canyon is dangerous. The more firepower she has on by her side, the more likely it is that she will live through this.

"...alright." She finally says. Let's go."

 _Dunsparce_

"Thank you two for helping me. I really appreciate it." Dunsparce told his Pawniard companions. About half an hour ago, they came up to him in post town and offered to help him woo Virizion. How could he say no? That's all he's even wanted. To be with her. They told him that they'd have to go to their base of operations out here in Desolate Canyon.

"It's absolutely no trouble at all." One of them said. "We're happy to help." As happy as Dunsparce is, having a chance to try again with Virizion, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong...

"How far is it?" He asked.

"It's not far now." The Pawniard replied again. "We're almost there." Eventualy, they stop. "And... We're here."

Dunsparce looked around. There was nothing. Just barren rock. No buildings, no people, nothing. "Uh... Are you sure? I'm not seeing anything..."

"Oh yes... We're sure..." The second said in a menacing tone. "I'm afraid that you've been lied to."

"What? Lied to?"

"That's right. Now, hand over everything of value you have. Now."

"W-what?!" Were... Were they robbing him?!

"You heard my partner. Hand over your Pokè. Or are we going to have to cut you down a bit?"

"N-no... Please don't!" Dunsparce shook in terror. There was no way he could fight the both of them. "I don't have anything on me! I swear! Please! Let me go!

"Is that so? Then we have no more use for you." The Pawniards approached, blades ready. This is it... They were going to kill him... He begged for someone to recuse him. But that was unlikely...

 _Alex_

"Fricking heck, they went way into the canyon." I said aloud.

"We can't be far now. Keep going!" Thunder said.

"Wait... I see him! They're going to kill him!" Emolga cried out. "Try and kill my best friend, huh? Well I'll show you!" Emolga carelessly dashes headlong into them.

"Emolga!" Thunder calls out. "Wait!" But it was too little too late. Emolga gets jumped by a yellow... Oh no... Not a spider... Why spiders?

"We're not your run of the mill petty thieves, here. We come prepared." One of the Pawniards tells us. I hear footsteps behind us. Turning around we see more spiders and some red beetle bugs.

"Galvantulas and Venipede... This is not good..." Thunder said. We were surrounded. And there are far too many for us to fight. We're doomed.

"Kill them." One of the Pawniards say, and they all move in to attack.


	10. Engagement

"Anyone have any ideas?" Thunder asks in desperation. "I'm open to suggestions." Our opponents are closing in fast. Emolga was still pinned down by one of them, and Dunsparce is still in harms way. It's not a good scenario.

"Just stay on the move. Don't let them land a hit." I said. Thunder is fast. And I'm agile. We could outmaneuver them easily, but they could easily take us down if they get a good strike in. Tactically, my greatest concern is the Venipede. Thunder tells me they are poison types. The last thing I need is venom pumping through my veins.

"What about Emolga?"

"See if you can distract that Galvantula long enough for him to get free. We're not going to win this fight, so our best chance is to escape with everyone in tow."

"Alright. Let's do this." One of the Galvantulas lunges at us. We quickly dodge the attack and start weaving through the enemies. Thunder breaks off to engage Emolga's attacker. He fires off a bolt of electricity at the spider, causing it to turn its attention to Thunder. Emolga, recognizing the opportunity for escape, pulls himself free and uses the membrane under his arms to get airborne, pulling off several strafing runs on the Pawniards. The Pawniards duck and cover, giving Dunsparce the opportunity he needs to escape.

"Alright! Now let's get out of-" my words are cut short as I was tackled by a Venipede. Frick! I should have been paying more attention! The Venipede sinks its teeth into my back and injects me with venom. I manage to shake him off, but it's too late. I could feel the effects of the venom already. I felt dizzy and numb where the bite was. I unceremoniously tumble onto the ground, weakened and dying.

"No! Alex!" Thunder cried out. He tries to run to my aid, but is ensnared in what I can only describe as an electrified spider web. Emolga is hit by the same spider silk shot from another Galvantula and comes crashing down. Any hope we had about surviving this battle was snuffed out almost immediately. One of the Pawniards chuckles.

"Well now. That was a valiant effort. But you're not leaving here alive." He readies his blade and prepares to kill Dunsparce.

"Dunsparce! No! Don't do this! Please!" Emolga begged. Not wanting to watch his friend perish. We did everything we could. But it wasn't enough. This canyon is our grave... Suddenly, a projectile of some form cuts through the air from behind us. It cuts through the web that has ensnared Thunder and hits the Pawniard in the face, knocking him backwards. We turn to see where this thing came from. We couldn't believe our eyes when we saw it. Virizion, Gurrdur, and his Timburr workers.

Thunder wastes no time. He runs to my side and gets a pecha berry from his bag. "Hurry Alex! Eat this! It's a detoxifier!" I grab the berry and take a bite, not bothering to chew it. As soon as it hits my stomach, my dizziness begins to subside. But it's not enough. I still need more. "We need protection! Alex needs a moment to recover." Virizion nods in acknowledgement and attacks a Galvantula, slamming her horn into it and knocking it aside.

Soon, the toxin has been purged from by body and I'm feeling much better. Meanwhile, our rescuers are driving the enemy back.

"We need to get out of here!" One of the Pawniards says. "Retreat! Retreat!" The enemies began to fall back.

"That's right! Run, you cowards!" Gurrdur yells.

And just like that, the battle was over. I breathe out a shaky sigh of relief. "That... That was too close."

"You can say that again." Thunder agrees. He turns to address our rescuers. "Thank you, guys. You saved our tails there."

"Yeah... If you'd been a second later, at least one of us would be dead." I say.

"I am so grateful for all of you. You put your lives at risk for me. I will never forget that." Dunsparce says.

"Thank you Gurrdur. You and your crew came in the nick of time." Emolga says.

"What? No thanks for Virizion? I ask Emolga.

"Absolutely not! It's because of her we were in that situation in the first place!" I let out an exasperated sigh. He seriously is going to hold that against her even after she came to our aid?

"You know... In spite of everything, we actually worked well together." Thunder said. "Alex, you were able to coordinate us before things went sour. Emolga, you were able to get Dunsparce out of harms way. Gurrdur, Virizion, you two were able to back us up when we failed. So... Do you guys want to for, a team?" The question caught all of us by surprise. We hardly even knew them, yet Thunder was asking to join up with them.

"I'd love to, but I have a job. I can't just abandon that." Gurrdur replied.

"Of course we would!" Emolga said. "Though only if she isn't allowed to join." Not this again...

"I do wish to join, but if it would be better that I didn't, I'll stay behind." Virizion replied.

"We can't just exclude her." I say. "That would be unfair."

"Like I said. She joins, we go." Emolga says. "Right, Dunsparce? ...Dunsparce?" Dunsparce was currently staring off into space, daydreaming. "Dunsparce! Snap out of it! I need your support here!"

"...huh? Oh! Sorry. I was just thinking how much I would enjoy being with Virizion." I had to fight the urge to chuckle there.

"Seriously?! You too?! Come on! Thunder! Just tell her to go jump off a cliff or something!"

We wait for a short while as Thunder ponders it. "...you can join us, Virizion."

"What?! I... Are you all crazy?! After what she did?!"

"She cared enough to come try and rescue Dunsparce. I'd say she deserves a second chance."

"...well... Dunsparce is staying so... Fine! I'll stay... In not happy about this, though!"

"Yeah!" Thunder exclaims. "We have a team now! This is going to be awesome!" There's that infectious enthusiasm again. We have a team of five now. More than enough to be recognized officially. The future looks bright. But... I can't shake this feeling... That a storm is brewing... And we're going to get caught in the middle of it...


	11. New Hope

"What a piece of junk! Seriously! How much did you pay for this place?!" Is Emolga's first response to seeing Pokemon Paradise for the first time. Sure it's a wasteland. But he could at least be tactful about it.

"It's not much, but it's what we call home." I respond. "In time, I'm sure this place will rival the likes of Paris or Rome. I exaggerate, of course."

"Paris? Rome? Where are those?" Dunsparce asks. Oh... Right... Earth cities. Not on earth. Should I tell them? No... No, that's a bad idea. Thunder said that humans are mythical beings here. If someone back home claimed they were a unicorn or dragon in human form, they would be quickly dismissed as crazy. I see no reason why it wouldn't be different here. The last thing I need is the team to question my sanity.

"Uh... They're... Actually, I can't remember. Maybe I got mixed up with someplace else." I say in an attempt to cover up my mistake. Thankfully, they seem to have bought it.

"Geography not your strong suit?" Emolga asks.

"No, not really." I respond. Whew... I just saved myself from a rather unpleasant conversation there. "So, Thunder. How do we contact HAPPI about our new team?

"Simple. We mail the information to them." He replies. "Come on. Let's head over to our home."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"Right. First off, we need a team name. Any ideas?" Thunder asked us all.

"Ooh! I know! How about 'Emolga's Enforcers!'" Emolga butted in. Sheesh. Got a bit of an ego, I see.

"I don't think that would work." I respond. "I think that the team name shouldn't be made to show off a particular member. It seems unfair." Emolga just grunted in disappointment. "How about... New Hope?"

"New Hope?" Thunder echoed.

"Yeah. You said it yourself, Thunder. Pokèmar has become callous. What this world needs is a beacon to shine through the darkness of the evil in this world. Something to look up to. Something to rekindle the fires of hope. Hope for a better future. Hope that things will change. I saw we become that. The new hope for the world."

"Aren't you setting your expectations too high?" Virizion asks, skeptical. "We're only five people. How could we change the world in any meaningful way?"

"Yeah. Especially when one of them is an ice cold monster of a person with no regard for other's feelings." Emolga said, making a verbal jab at Virizion. Though she hardly flinched in response.

"Sure we are only a small group." I respond. "But some of the greatest people in history were just that. People.

Just ordinary people who wanted to instigate change. And they did. We're no different. And while it's true that we may not ever reach out across the whole planet, we can at least make a difference here and now. No matter how small."

"You're right. Alex." Said Thunder. "We can. All it takes is one spark to start a fire. Let's be that spark."

"I second the motion." Virizion chimes in.

"I'm all for it." Dunsparce replies.

Emolga hesitates before finally answering. "Oh, what the hey. Why not?"

"Then from this day forward, we are Team New Hope." I say. "We will shine as a beacon in the darkness, give hope to those who have none, and protect those who cannot protect themselves."

"That might make a good mantra." Thunder says. Yeah. It would. I like that.

"So. What else do we need before we send our application in?"

"Let's see... A team badge design if we want a custom one and our signatures."

"Got ideas for a custom badge?"

"Yes, actually." He picks up a pencil and starts sketching an image onto a sheet of paper. And he's really skilled. The end result looks like some sort of yellow Phoenix with flames under the wings, covering the tail feathers, and on the top of the head. What... It couldn't be a Phoenix. The legend of the Phoenix is from earth. They couldn't have that here.

"What is that, Thunder?" I ask.

"That is a Moltres. The Flame Pokemon. Part of the elemental bird trio. When she's injured, she will fly into a volcano and incinerate herself, to be reborn fresh and new from the ashes. It's a sign of hope. That no matter what you go through, there's always something to look forward to after your hardships. There's always hope." Wow. Very similar to the Phoenix legend.

"Cool. That would be the perfect emblem for our team. Also, where'd you learn to draw like that?"

"It's a side hobby of mine. I sort of trained myself."

"Well, you've gotten good at it, clearly. Oh! I almost forgot!" I pull out the bandanas from our bag. "Thunder and I found these while searching Stompstump Peak I was wondering if they belonged to you, Dunsparce."

"No." He responded. "I've never seen those before. Guess they just appeared in the dungeon." So they belong to no one? Hm. I decide to put one on. I tie the ends around my neck, letting the front drape over my chest.

"How do I look?" I ask.

"Pretty good." Thunder replies. "It suits you. May I try the other one?"

"Be my guest." I hand the bandana over to Thunder who puts it on in much the same fashion. "Not half bad. Looks good."

"Thanks, Alex. Now, let's get our signatures on this and mail it out." Thunder writes his signature on the sheet. As he writes, it dawns on me that his writing is not in English or any earth written language. But rather, it looks like a string of footprint marks. I follow suit. What's weird is I actually know how to write in that same written language. It was like I knew my whole life. This was strange... After I finish, the others do the same. "Now then, let's get this thing sent." He leads us to the "Pelliper Postal Service" who happily take our application to HAPPI.

"How long until we hear back from them?" I ask.

"Probably midday tomorrow. They respond fast." Thunder replies.

"Well it's getting late anyway. We should probably get some rest."

"You're right. I guess we'll see you guys tomorrow." Thunder tells the others.

"Goodnight Thunder. We'll see you tomorrow." Emolga replies as they leave. With that done, Thunder and I return home and sleep after a hectic day.


	12. On the Map

"It's here Alex! Our team stuff is here!" I got started awake by Thunder shaking me awake and shouting at me. Well... If it wasn't clear already, now I know for certain that I'm never going to be able to sleep in. Best adapt around that...

"Ugh... Just give me a moment... I'm only half awake..." I drowsily respond.

"I'll meet you outside in Paradise Center when you're ready." Paradise Center is what we called the area that we first see when we enter our barren plot of land. It makes it sound like a city center. Which I guess Thunder intends to make this place.

"Sounds good, Thunder." With that, Thunder exits the house, leaving me to get myself awake and ready for the day. I splash my face with cold water from the sink (or the variant thereof in this lower tech world) which definitely does the job. I put on my bandana and head outside to meet with Thunder.

"Ah. There you are, Alex." Thunder replies in his infectiously cheery voice. He and the rest of New Hope were gathered around what appeared to be a sort of package. "Come on. Let's open it up."

"Want to do the honors, Alex?" Dunsparce asks.

"Sure." I reply. Using my leaf tail, I cut open the box and open it up. And inside were five badges, a nice looking shoulder bag, and a note. I take the note and read it aloud. "Congratulations, Team New Hope. You are now officially recognized as a team by the Helping Adventurous Pokemon Prosper Institute." Oh, so HAPPI was an acronym? Huh. Not something I'd think of for an acronym but hey, whatever works. "Enclosed in this package are your five team badges and your treasure bag for holding loot you may find during your adventures. Your badges are capable of a special move called a 'Team Attack.'" What? Team attack? What are they talking about? "When in combat, your badges charge up. When they start glowing you can execute an attack that will take out most threats with ease. Don't worry about how to use them, you'll know when it's time to use it. Now go and explore, New Hope! Have the adventures of your wildest dreams."

"Woah! This is so cool!" Emolga exclaimed. He takes out the badges and passes them out. (Of course being a little less kind to Virizion when he got to her.) the badges themselves had a bit of weight to them. The badges closely resembled Thunder's Moltres sketch, the yellow bird with orange flames, with an added red gem on the bird's chest. It was a nice design.

"I'm curious what this 'Team Attack' is all about." I say.

"Yeah." Thunder Agreed. "We should try it out. I remember seeing an item acquiring mission for Forest Grotto. Someone wants us to bring a bunch of Nanab berries that grow in that area. That should let us give it an adequate test."

"Sounds like a plan. Are we ready to go?" The unanimous response was yes. "Alright. Let's head out."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"Out of curiosity, what brought you to Post Town, Virizion?" Thunder asked as we strolled through the forest. "You don't usually go to this area of Unova Minor."

"Are you familiar with the Rainbows of Hope?" She asks.

"I've heard them referenced, bit I've never heard about what they were."

"They were an intricate set of rainbows that could be seen from Post Town. It is said that whoever views the rainbows was instilled with a powerful feeling of hope. Sadly, though, with all the rampant distrust, they seem to have vanished." Wait... Rainbows? Out of all the things, rainbows? Guess they don't carry the same connotations that they do on earth. Ah well. No reason to get worked up about it. "Wait... I hear something." We all stop as Virizion scans the area for dangers, readying ourselves in the event of a fight. And sure enough, there was one. A Vespiqueen emerged with a swarm of Combee that all came right for us.

"Bees... Of course it's bees..." I muttered silently to myself. Then we all got to work fighting the swarm off. I used my tail as a fan, creating gusts that knocked several of them off course. Thunder started shocking them, the electricity arcing from Combee to Combee. Virizion send for the Vespiqueen, firing leaves shrouded in energy that honed in on her target. Emolga took to the skies, zapping them like an aggressive storm cloud. Dunsparce... Well... To his credit he was trying... They were just to fast and nimble for him to hit. Unfortunately I was finding myself in a similar situation. But overall, we were doing well.

That's when it happened. The badge pinned to my bandana started glowing. As did everyone else's. And I know it was time to try out our trump card, the team attack. What happened next felt like a scene from an anime. I take the badge of my chest, pointing it skyward as green energy from everyone's badges converges into mine. "Team..." I found myself shouting. I then brought the arm holding it across my chest, then the pay out. I thrust the badge forward. "...Attack!" I finish the yell and an explosion of green energy expands from the badge, throwing back all of our attackers, knocking them out instantly. Once this had concluded, we all just stared, dumbfounded by what had just happened.

"...that was awesome!" Emolga cried. "Incredible! I've never seen anything like it!"

"I'll admit. It was quite the spectacle. And extremely effective on top of that." Virizion agreed.

"That was awesome, Alex! Great work!" Thunder said.

"Thanks... I guess... Well, one things for sure. This will come in handy in the future no doubt." I agree. That was an incredible experience. I wouldn't mind doing it again. "Now, come on, everyone. We've got a mission to complete."

"Lead the way, Alex." Thunder says. So I do. The rest of the trip is uneventful. We continue through the forest, find the berries, return and deliver them to the client. It was Team New Hope's first successful mission. Hopefully the first of many.


	13. Puzzle Pieces

Over the past few weeks, much has happened. Renovation of Pokemon Paradise has begun, slowly turning the crappy abandoned wasteland into actual lush, green, land. Let's just say the changes were welcome. Very welcome. Waking up to grass and trees versus rotting wood, boulders, and dead earth- oh, sorry, dead Pokèmar, was much more pleasant and invigorating. Plus the sound of wind in the trees beats the sound of wind running through the wasteland it was by a mile.

Even better, with a much more pleasant plot, other Pokemon have actually asked to move in. We actually have the start of a town! Though through out it all, one thing sticks in my mind. Those words that I heard when I first arrived. "Please... Save our world... We will die without you... Please..." Save their world... Where do I even begin? What is it that threatens the world? And how do I fight it? Why was I recruited to fight it? I've never thrown a punch in my life before arriving here. So many questions, so few answers. I guess I can only hope that the answers reveal themselves to me before it's too late...

"Hey, Alex? Thunder?" Dunsparce's voice snaps me out of my little internal monologue as I'm whisked back to reality. Thunder and I were in Post Town doing some shopping for supplies for our missions. Dunsparce had decided to tag along.

"Hey, Dunsparce. What is it?" I ask.

"I heard you can get a good view of the Great Glacier from atop the hill in town. Wanna take a look?"

"Really? The Great Glacier? Of course!" Thunder replies. "First let's finish our shopping." Great Glacier? Sounds like a landmark if I ever heard one. I'll have to ask about it. Here's hoping it's not the equivalent of Mt. Everest where pretty much everyone knows about it. I'd rather not have that conversation...

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

The hill on the northern end of Post Town is surprisingly high. High enough to peer over the trees that populated the landscape. It was a really good view. And in the distance to the north was what appeared to be a mountain. But... This mountain looked completely white. I saw no sign of rock anywhere on the elevated land. It just looks like... Ice. Nothing else. And judging by the fact that both Thunder and Dunsparce were looking at the same thing, that has to be the Great Glacier.

Problem is, I know very little about its significance. Sure, it's a pretty sight, but the way that Thunder reacted to Dunsparce's mentioning of it indicated something more...

"So, because I'm not from around here, I don't really know what this "Great Glacier" is." I say to them. "Would you mind filling me in?"

"Well... It's an area that no one has ever been able to go." Thunder replies. "A chasm surrounds it, preventing traversal on foot, and powerful windstorms prevent flying types from getting through without being blown away. For this reason, there's a lot of mystery behind it. Many people have tried to reach it, none have ever succeeded."

"So it's basically an unexplored, unreachable region?"

"Basically, yeah." Wow. That's pretty intriguing. What is it that lies on that glacier? Why is it so unreachable? And... Why does it feel like it's involved in my being here? I guess it doesn't matter right now. "Someday I'd like to reach the Great Glacier. If there is a way, I hope I'm the one to find it."

"Never stop dreaming Thunder... Though this may be a bit... Well... Unrealistic. But you never know."

"Thanks for the support Alex."

"No problem. If there's one thing I learned, it's that nothing is impossible." Including being warped to an alien planet being told that you're the last hope for their world. Because that's what happened to me. So getting over a chasm or braving gale force winds to explore a glacier seems like child's play in comparison.

? ﾟﾕﾔ? ﾟﾕﾘ? ﾟﾕﾛ?

Where am I? I just went to sleep and... Oh! It's that psychedelic world! Am I being taken back?

"Alex..." There's that voice again. I try to respond but just like before, nothing is spoken despite my strongest efforts. "This is ... desperate ... Help ... Russet. ... only hope." The voice is weaker than when I first heard it. It's almost as if its fighting through heavy static, garbling the message. Why is it desperate? The only hope for what? What is threatening this planet? Just tell me! I can't help if I don't know what I'm supposed to do! "HELP!" Well... That part's as loud as ever... The world shakes and slowly a white glow envelops everything...

? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾛ

I wake with a start. My heart is pounding in my chest and I feel overheated. Guess sweat isn't an option for a reptilian Snivy like me. Observing my surroundings I find myself in me bed, Thunder snoring quietly next to me. It was just a dream. But... It was so vivid... I'm so confused... What do I do... Maybe the cool night air will help calm my nerves...

? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾔ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"Alex?" Thunder asked tiredly. "What are you doing up so early?" I was looking out of the window when Thunder woke up. The walk helped but rest eluded me all night.

"I couldn't sleep." I admit. "There was this dream, I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep..."

"What sort of dream?"

"The same thing that I saw when I first arrived here. The psychedelic world, the voice, everything. Though the voice was decidedly weaker this time."

"I wonder... Could someone be trying to sync up with you?"

"Sync up?"

"Yeah telepathic sync. Someone might be trying to communicate with you through dreams. They're just having trouble syncing up." Telepathic communication? Another outlandish concept, but again, I do not know what is and isn't possible. For all I know, everyone here is telepathic. "Anyway, we should get going. It's another great day! Let's make the most of it!" Thunder happily dashes out the door, with me following behind. But... I couldn't shake my mind of what Thunder had said. Telepathic message? From who? And what did they bring me here to stop? I need answers. But... If Thunder's right, it'll be a while before I get them. Sadly, patience has never been my strong suit. Still, doing missions with Thunder should help keep me occupied until then.


	14. In the Shadows

Post town is... Unusually nervous today. There is an atmosphere of fear and tension as everyone is discussing... Something... Naturally, Swanna's Inn is the hub for this odd activity. Everyone is nervous and on edge.

"I don't like this..." I say aloud. "Something's going on here. Everyone's jumping at their own shadow."

"Yeah... Should we ask around?" Thunder asks.

"That would be the logical step." We seat ourselves at the counter and order breakfast, Occa berries and a Leafstorm Drink for me, and Shuca berries and a Thunderbolt Drink for Thunder. "Hey, Swanna?"

"Yes dear?" The swan Pokemon responds.

"What's with the town? Everyone looks like they're paranoid about something."

"You two haven't heard?"

"Heard what?" Thunder interjects.

"About the sightings of the suspicious Pokemon. Over the past few days, people have been claiming to see a figure lurking around in the night. With sightings growing more and more frequent, people are starting to worry."

"Has anyone tried to talk to it?" I ask.

"No. Whenever someone looked its way, it fled." Huh... Hardly seems like a threat. It's acting like a scared animal.

"It sounds like it's more scared of us than we are of it. I see no reason to be suspicious."

"Fair point, but it appears to be watching us. For what reason, no one knows. A few fear mongers stirred up some trouble and now everyone thinks they're being spied on 24/7." Ah. Now it makes sense. Leave it to a mischievous group to escalate a previously semi-docile situation.

"Does anyone know which Pokemon it is?" Thunder asks.

"No. No one is certain. That's another reason why everyone's paranoid. There so little we know about it. Or if it wants to harm us. Still. Keep an eye open."

"We will. Thanks Swanna." With that, we finished our meals and left.

? ﾟﾕﾔ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"So, what is the plan for today?" I ask Thunder as we make our way back to Paradise.

"I was thinking doing a few training battles." He responds.

"Training battles?"

"Yeah. We'd fight each other to build up our strength and tactics."

"So sparring."

"Yeah. Basically the same thing."

"Sound like a pla-"

"Hey! Alex! Thunder! Wait!" We hear Emolga's voice crying from behind us. When we turn around we see him, Dunsparce, a cream colored canine Pokemon about our size and a tall, insect-like Pokemon that looks like she's dressed in leaves.

"Emolga? Dunsparce? What's wrong?" Thunder asks.

"Guys, this is Leavanny and Lillipup." Emolga points to the tall insect and the canine respectively.

"You two are from Team New Hope, right?" Leavanny asks in a desperate tone.

"Yeah." I respond, becoming concerned. Why would she need New Hope unless she needed our services? "Why? Is someone in trouble?"

"My son... He went missing." I see now. That explains it.

"Where did you last see him?" Thunder asks.

"Well... He mentioned going to Inflora Forest when I last saw him." Lillipup says. "I didn't think much of it since we go there all the time."

"What?!" Leavanny looks like she's going into a mental breakdown. "You and Swadloon went to Inflora Forest?! You know that your not allowed to go there! Especially when this suspicious Pokemon is out and about! Wait till Herdier hears about this!"

"Ack! No! Please don't tell him! I'm sorry!"

"Right... Sorry, Thunder. Guess training is postponed. We have more urgent matters at hand. Dunsparce, Emolga, you're with us. We're going to track down your son, Leavanny. I promise."

Her face lights up as if she has a semblance of hope for her son's safety. "Good luck then! Please... Bring him back safely."

"We'll do everything in our power to bring him back." Thunder assures her.

"Right! Let's move out!" I say, leading the team to Inflora Forest.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

Inflora Forest... This place is lush with plant life. It's quite pretty. But... It's also easy to get lost in. Thunder is charring the grass in places with his electricity so that we know where we've been so the rescue team doesn't end up needing rescue themselves.

"Wow. This place is dense!" I observe. "How on earth do those two ever find their way around?"

"Probably the same way we are. By leaving breadcrumbs." Thunder responds, shocking another patch of grass into a smoldering black patch.

"I hope we find him soon." Emolga interjects. "I have a bad feeling about this place. Like we're being watched."

Suddenly, a scream echoes through the forest. The scream of a child! "That must be Swadloon! Pick up the pace everyone! We need to get to him before it's too late!" I say. We start running at full speed towards the source of the scream, praying that he's still alive...

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"There! I see him!" Dunsparce cries. Ahead there's another Pokemon, a face wrapped up in a leaf that for some reason, looks perpetually stuck with the expression of "I'm so done with your crap."

"Swadloon! Are you hurt!?" I cry out.

"No. I'm fine." He responds quietly.

"Come on." Thunder says. "Your mother's worried sick about you. We should get you home."

"Ok." Is his response. Huh...isn't this the same kid that was screaming a short while ago? Thing is, he doesn't look shaken or frightened. Well... Actually... He does seem nervous. But in the way that makes it seem like he's hiding something.

"You sure you're ok?" I ask. "We heard you screaming a short while ago. We feared the worst."

"No. Really. Everything's fine. I just got spooked by something. That's all."

"No one tried to hurt you?"

"No."

"...very well. Anyways, we should get you back to Leavanny and Lillipup. Let them see that you're ok."

"Sure." Ok. I seriously think he's hiding something from us. Course, him being a kid it could just be some petty thing that he wants to keep under wraps. Plus I'd rather not "interrogate" a child.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"Swadloon! Thank Arceus your safe!" Let's just say that Leavanny was... Grateful... For our help. "I can't thank you enough! You have my thanks."

"Don't worry about it, Leavanny." Thunder replies. "We're just glad he's safe."

"It's getting dark, we shouldn't some sleep." I say.

"Yeah. You're right Alex." We say our goodnights and crawl into bed, tired from the day's exploits.

"See you tomorrow, Thunder."

"Sleep tight, Alex."


	15. Umbreon

Loud knocking on the door broke my attention from the history book I was looking at. I had been attempting to better understand this world, seeing as I'm probably going to be here a while. And just like how the past is referenced often on earth, it surely will be on Pokèmar. Plus I'm genuinely curious. But that's going to have to wait. I open the door to see Emolga, who looks like he had been sprinting the whole way here. Which would not be a surprise.

"What is it Emolga?" I ask.

"You... You know about... About that suspicious Pokemon." He says between tired breaths. He now has my undivided attention.

"What about it?"

"They found him... Unconscious, battered, and bloody. It looks like he's been through a war." Huh? Did someone hurt him? And why?

"Where is he now?"

"At Swanna's Inn. Thunder and Dunsparce are already there."

"Go get Virizion. I'll head over as soon as possible." His expression immediately turns sour at the mention of Virizion's name. "Emolga... Just let it go! She's trying to change!"

"She nearly got us all killed. Why should I forgive her?"

"Because it's the right thing to do. Holding onto your resentment will only create problems in the future. Now please just go get her."

"...fine..." Emolga grumpily leaves to get inform Virizion. Now... Time to get to Post Town and introduce ourselves to our mystery guest.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

Holy crap. When Emolga says he looked like he was in a war he literally meant he looks like he took a frag grenade at point blank range. The Pokemon in question is a quadruped. Looks like a dog or a fox. Maybe a mix of both. There are yellow rings on his body that give off a faint glow. The bed he was lying on is stained red with blood. As is his jet black fur. His form is covered with cuts of various sizes. And there's one long, deep laceration that runs across his shoulder. Needless to say, he's hurt. Bad. And, of course, being the squeamish type, I start feeling nauseous. I was never good around wounds and blood. Except my own of course. Now I'm trying to keep breakfast in my stomach where it belongs rather than spewing it everywhere.

"I... I keep telling... You! I-I-I mean... No harm!" The wounded creature manages to say. Apparently Gurrdur's days as an outlaw made him a bit more... Aggressive... When it comes to questioning. Why he's even interrogating him would be the better question.

"So you say. But you've been spying on us for days now. Probably pegged us as an easy target for your underground team of yours. So tell me. Who are they?!"

"I just... Told you! There's... No one but... My missing sister! I'm not-"

"Umbreon?!" Virizion's voice rings out from the doorway. "Oh my Arceus... What happened to you?!"

"Virizion?!" Umbreon says shocked. "What are... you doing here? And... Where's Ke-"

"Stop. I'd rather not talk about him. At least... Not in public. But as for what I'm doing here, I joined up with these guys. Alex, Thunder, Emolga, and Dunsparce. We call ourselves Team New Hope."

"You know him, Virizion?" I ask.

"Yeah. This is Umbreon. He and his sister Espeon are dungeon researchers. We met some time ago."

"Oh... So you're a friend of Virizion?" Gurrdur says. "...my apologies... I... Was a bit harsh."

"Don't worry." Umbreon responds. "No hard feelings. But... I need to find Espeon before they do..."

"Not like this you can't!" Virizion says. "You've lost a lot of blood. You're in no condition to go anywhere!"

"I can't just abandon my sister! She- Ow!" Umbreon tries to get up, but only succeeds in putting himself in more pain.

"Umbreon! Stop! Don't stress yourself. You're only making it worse."

"Umbreon," Thunder interrupts. "I promise that we will help look for your sister. Right, Alex?"

"Of course we'll help. Isn't that what we're here for?" I respond.

"Thank you... That means a lot to me." Umbreon says. "Now... I'm quite tired. I need some rest..."

"Yeah..." Virizion agrees. "We hope you get better soon.

"Right." I say as we exit the room. "Ok, everyone. Let's see if we can't find any leads. Hopefully we can find her soon."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

For some reason this Umbreon and Espeon duo intrigues me. Umbreon's resting and recovering from whatever bleeping happened to him so I can't ask him about what. But I can ask Virizion.

"Virizion? I'm curious. What exactly do Umbreon and Espeon do?"

"Well, they research mystery dungeons. Their job is to learn why they behave the way they do."

"Sounds an awful lot like science. I'm a fan of science."

"Then you'll probably get along well with Espeon. She's the brain of the duo. But Umbreon's the builder. He can create some pretty incredible things if given the time and resources needed. Last I saw them, they were working on this project together. A big project. Something revolutionary. It appears that they attracted the wrong type of attention, though,"

"So... Robbers looking to sell the research on the black market?"

"That's the most likely explanation I can think of. I don't exactly remember what it was they were working on but I remember that ke- ...er... I was impressed by what they had come up with." As much as Virizion didn't want it, we all could tell she was hiding something. And while most of us decided to respectively drop it, Emolga didn't.

"There was someone else with you, wasn't there? A boyfriend?"

"Emolga..." I warn.

"No! I... I don't want to talk about it." Virizion replies.

"Aw... He broke your heart, didn't he?" Emolga mocks. "He decided to get in bed with someone else?"

"Emolga..."

"N-no! We didn't ha-"

"Or, more likely, you dumped him because he couldn't do it for you! He wasn't able to sate your-"

"Emolga! Enough! You've taken it too far!" I finally shut him up. Making assumptions like that about someone's love life and mocking them about it is where I draw the line. "You need to stop this! It's setting a poor example for the team!"

"Ugh... Fine..." He stops his little mocking session. For now, at least. Now that Emolga has some serious ammo to throw at her, things are probably going to heat up between them. But, of course, Emolga couldn't resist one last insult. "You're a dirty, filthy-"

"Emolga, I better not hear you finish that sentence..."


	16. Entercards

"Well, well, well... Look who's up on their paws and out of bed." I say with a lighthearted chuckle. Umbreon has been recovering quite fast. Faster than anyone should have when there was a laceration that went into the muscle tissue should have. From what I know, they used a salve with the juice of Oran berries and applied it to the wound. And my goodness that stuff is some sort of miracle gel. Seriously! It's only been three days! And he's walking around with only a slight limp! Can you imagine what we could do with this stuff back on earth?! Anyway, the whole team had arrived at his room as we were all interested in what had happened to him.

"Yeah. Nice being back up on my feet again." Umbreon replied. That wound on his shoulder has been bandaged up. And judging by how clean the bandage is, it's fair to say that the bleeding stopped a fair while ago. "Any word about Espeon?"

"No, sadly." Thunder answers. "But we're still searching. It would be easier to find her if we also knew who was after her and why."

"They were a Purugly and a Toxicroak. Whether they're affiliated with another criminal organization or working on their own I do not know. But they said they wanted to destroy our research." Destroy? Well there goes the "sell research on the black market" theory. Also, Purugly? Toxicroak? Is there some codex or something for Pokemon? Because there are so many different species out there that keeping track of them all on my own is next to impossible.

"Did you make any enemies in the criminal underworld that may have held a grudge against you?" Virizion asks.

"None that would go to these great lengths to screw us over."

"What research were they after? What was it that you discovered?" I ask. Almost immediately, a smirk appeared on Umbreon's face.

"Something We've been cooking up for a long time. Virizion probably knows what I'm talking about."

"But when you told me it was all theory and conjecture." Virizion says. "That's hardly worth... Wait... So... You had to have made significant progress on it to garner this attention."

"Oh we did. We actually built it. And it works."

"Built what?" Emolga asks.

"A Magnagate generator. And the Entercards to go with it. You see, mystery dungeons are the intertwining of ley lines. Strings of energy that crisscross the universe. The way they are connected to each other warps the land in those mysterious ways. And each part of the connection influences a different aspect of the dungeon. But what if you could make them intertwine. What if you could manipulate them to make a dungeon just like you wante-"

"Huh? Why'd you stop? It was just getting interesting." I ask. Then the reason becomes apparent. Everyone fell asleep. Like students listening to a dull, monotone lecture. "Oh. That's why."

"Perhaps... A more visual demonstration would work better..."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

We reach the hill in post town. A nice, open space where we won't interrupt anyone. According to Umbreon, the perfect conditions for a demonstration. He brings out a rather interesting device. It's about the size of a tablet. A grey tile with a large purple boarder around it. The tile had an a square indentation in it and had a sort of mystical circular pattern in it. He also had two smaller tiles. These ones had ornate images of the sun and the moon on either side of it. It looks like four of these things would fit in the larger device.

"Ok, so, this, is a Magnagate Generator." Umbreon shows us. "And these are Entercards. Now, you put the Entercards in the generator like so." He puts the Entercards on opposite corners of the square indentation in the magnegate generator. There is an audible "click" as they snap into place. "Now, to activate it, you just press the center, stand back, and watch the magic happen." He puts his paw where the corners of the Entercards meet and presses down. I can hear some sort of energy inside. Per his instructions, we take a few steps back, not wanting to be incinerated or torn apart at the molecular level or whatever this thing will do.

All of a sudden everything darkens, like a cloud passing in front of the sun. But there isn't a single cloud in the sky. How the... Then something happens. From the magnegate generator a red ring expands outwards. Inside the ring a flash of white, and a portal like thing appears, filling the inside of the ring.

"...holy fricking... What the frick is that?!" I exclaim in shock.

"That, Alex, is a magnegate. A gateway created by the Entercards that leads to an artificial mystery dungeon. One that I can fashion to be how I want it. Or... Are you familiar with wormholes, Alex?"

"Wormholes? Yeah. I know about them. Theoretical points in space that are connected in spite of their distance. You go in one end and come out the other."

"We can do a similar thing with the Entercards. I can choose to have the mystery dungeon lead almost wherever I want. Like a tunnel between two points. It all depends on how I place the Entercards."

"No way! That's awesome!" Thunder cries out. "Where does this one lead?"

"Nowhere. To create a working dungeon you need four cards. I only have two. Espeon has the others. When we were attacked we both took half of the cards and split up." Suddenly, the magnegate collapses, creating a small vortex of air that dissipates after a few seconds. What remained was an intricate circular pattern where the gate once was, and the magnegate generator and Entercards. "I had thought that we would be able to find each other. We were going to rendezvous at Forest Grotto, but she wasn't there..." He lets out a shaky sigh. "It was a horrible idea to split up. Now she's probably out there somewhere, her lifeless body rotting away... Brutally murdered by those... Fiends!"

"Hey..." Thunder puts his hand on his leg. I assume it's the same gesture of putting his hand on his shoulder, but their size difference prevents that. "Somethings tells me she's tougher than that. I think she's still alive. And we intend to find her and bring her back safely." I swear, Thunder has the softest heart of anyone I've ever met. All he wants is to help. Is it any wonder I consider him a good friend?

"I second that." I agree. "The moment we hear about her whereabouts, we're going after her."

"...thank you." Umbreon replies. "All of you. I guess you call yourselves New Hope for a reason."

"That's the idea."


	17. The Crags of Lament

Wherever Espeon is, she certainly knows how to stay under the radar. There has been nothing to go off of to find her. No rumors, no sightings, nothing. Dang it... There has to be something! I've been coming here to the inn and loitering around eavesdropping on people to try and get an idea of where Umbreon's sister is every day. And it's yielded nothing. It's so infuriating.

"Alex." Thunder whispers me. He has been aiding me as well. He's like my shadow. And I don't really mind it. In fact I prefer when he's around. "There's someone over there that might know something." He points to the Rampardos at the adjacent table. "He keeps talking about seeing something off at the Crags of Lament. Seeing a" Well, it's better than most leads so far.

"Right. Let's check it out." Thunder and I get up from our seats and casually walk over to the Rampardos, who seems transfixed by a Cinccino on the other end of the dining area.

"My sweet Cinccino..." He says quietly to himself. "You're the most beautiful Pokemon on Pokèmar... I... I just wish I could be brave enough to talk to you... Feel your soft fur in my arms as we embrace. My-" he cuts his train of thought short as we approach. "Ah! Uh... H-hi! I didn't see you there. What's the occasion?" Hehe... Poor guy. Wish I could give him advice. That is, if I had any to give in the first place.

"Thunder tells me that you saw something at the Crags of Lament. See, we're looking for someone. Any information you can provide would really help us."

"Oh? The Crags of Lament... Oh yeah! I remember. I saw this Pokemon with pink fur, a forked tail, and a gem on her head. I can't remember what species that is... But she looked nervous and exhausted." Wait... Pink fur... Forked tail... Gem on the forehead... According to Umbreon, that's what an Espeon looks like! The trail just got warm.

"Was there anyone else?"

"Yeah, now that you mention it... There was a Purugly and a Toxicroak searching around. They might have been looking for her." That's it! We know where she is! We can get her. Once she's inside Post Town she should be safe. I look to Thunder, whom definitely is thinking the same thing as me. We nod to each other and start to leave.

"That's all we need to know. Thank you." I say to the Rampardos.

"Anytime."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"Umbreon!" I call out as we enter his room. "We know where she is!"

He immediately turns his attention to us. "Espeon?! Where?!"

"The Crags of Lament." Thunder answers. "The Toxicroak and Purugly are there too. We need to move fast."

"I'm coming with." Umbreon relplies.

"No!" I say. "You're still recovering. I'm not taking any unnecessary risks. Not when someone's life is at stake."

"But she's my sister! I can't just-"

"Umbreon..." Thunder interrupts. "Just trust us. We'll bring her back, safe and sound."

"...well... Alright. Good luck out there."

"Thanks, Umbreon." I respond. "We'll be back soon."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

I just noticed something. Since I've been here, there's been a lot of me either falling or facing the danger of falling. My skydive to Pokèmar, the gap in the path when I was following Thunder for the first time, Hazy Pass, and now this. Following a jagged, uneven, rocky path elevated quite a ways up, the risk of falling was high. Why would anyone come here? Then again, it's isolated and remote. A good place to hide when being hunted.

"You know, there's something I was wondering." Emolga says from behind us. He had volunteered to come with us. As did Virizion. You could tell I was hesitant to allow those two in such close proximity with such a dangerous mission. But they are two of the stronger members of the team so I went with it. "Why are they called the Crags of Lament?"

"You know how Giratina betrayed Arceus when he created the first world? And how he destroyed it?" Virizion spoke up. Huh? Arceus? Giratina? Are these mythical figures? So... I guess this is the second world since the first was destroyed?"

"Yeah. But what does that have to do with the Crags?"

"Legend has it that Arceus mourned the loss of his world and the betrayal of his son and stowed his sorrow and lament in this area. Some people claim that at night, you can hear his cries echoing through here."

"Huh." I say. "That's interesting. Thanks, Virizion."

"My pleasure. But we need to focus on the matter at hand."

"That's true. Ok, everyone. Eyes open. Keep a lookout for her.

 _Espeon_

Espeon runs as fast as her legs will let her. She's tired and exhausted from this extended chase. But she can't stop. If she stops, they will kill her. She just hopes that Umbreon is alive and safe. Then she notices something ahead. Or, more accurately, the lack of something ahead. The was nowhere to jump to and falling was certain death. She skids to a stop before she has a chance to go over the edge. She turns around and sees the one thing she didn't want to see. The Toxicroak and Purugly are there. She's trapped.

"Well now..." The Purugly chuckles. "That was quite a run you sent us on. But, everything must come to an end at some point. Including your life. Now, hand over the Entercards and you'll die quickly."

"Screw you, you overweight, son of a Ditto!" She retorted. The fur on Purugly's neck stood up in anger.

"You dare call me that?! Toxicroak. Search her."

"With pleasure." The Toxicroak responded. He began an invasive search of her body to find the Entercards, only to come out empty handed. "Nothing. She doesn't have them"

"That's right. I don't. But I know where they are. If you let me live, I might tell you."

"Ah, bargaining for your life, are we?" Purugly chuckles. "Well it hardly matters wether you tell us or not. You are the only one alive that knows how they work." Wait... Only one alive?! Then...

"Umbreon... What have you done to my brother?!"

"Oh, he's long gone." Toxicroak taunted. "Don't worry. My venom made sure of that." No... No they're lying! He can't be dead! He can't be!

"No... Please no... Not Umbreon... No..." She tries to hide the tears welling up in her eyes, but inevitably fails as the tears start to leak out and drip from the fur around her eyes.

"Aw, don't cry, sweetheart. You'll see him again in the spirit world soon.


	18. The Rescue

"Guys, good news." Emolga says. "I found her. Bad news, they found her first." Sure enough, there she is. Cornered and about to be killed. We **cannot** let that happen.

"Thunder, hand me a blast seed." I say. He immediately reaches into the bag and pulls one out, handing it to me. One of the many things I learned about this world was that there are a metric ton of seed types. These things have unbelievable properties when ingested or thrown. There are seeds that can put someone to slee, teleport them, make them breathe fire, cure ailments, pretty much everything. The blast seed it the fire breathing one. Same stuff that was in the flamethrower drink I had the misfortune of gulping down so long ago. But I came up with a better use for it. A grenade.

"Fire in the hole!" I yell to grab the attacker's attention and keep it away from Espeon. And if that didn't work, the blast seed absolutely will. I sling the seed right at them. And the one thing I take particular note of was the moment that they realized what I just did. The "oh crap" look on their faces. Priceless.

The blast was small, but effective, throwing both of the assailants away from their wounded prey.

"V-Vrizion?!" Espeon sputters, surprised. Where did-"

"We'll have time for pleasantries and explanations later." She replies. "Right now, stay low."

"Thunder, Emolga, you take the Toxicroak." I say. "Virizion and I will handle Purugly."

We split into two groups to take on our attackers. "Did no one ever teach you numbskulls to keep your noses out of the affairs of others?" Purugly growled.

"I consider that concept null and void when someone's life hangs in the balance." My reply angers him. Good. More anger means more impulsive actions and more mistakes.

"Null and void. Interesting choice of words. Because that's what you and your little ragtag team will be when we're through with you."

"I hear a lot of talk and not a lot backing it up. So let's cut to the chase." I dash at him, sliding under he's legs, emerging behind him. He turns to face me, but also turns away from Virizion in the process. She slashes at him with her horns, doing some damage in the process. I leap onto his back, extending my vines and wrapping them around his neck, trying to get him unconscious. He does a good job banging me around trying to get me off. But inevitably he succumbs to the lack of oxygen (I assume oxygen. I mean, we could be breathing argon for all I know).

Thunder and Emolga appear to be keeping their distance, repeatedly shocking him from two completely different directions before he collapses on the ground. It still amazes me just how much punishment a Pokemon can endure without long term effects. One of those bolts would probably cripple a human.

"Thank you. All of you." Espeon says. "I owe you my life. Care to introduce yourselves?"

"Of course. I'm Alex. This is Thunder and Emolga. I know you and Virizion have met before."

"Come on. Let's head to Post Town. Umbreon's worried sick." Virizion says.

"Umbreon?! But... They said they... They..." Espeon says in disbelief.

"They were just messing with you. He's the one who told us you were missing. So we came to find you."

Espeon's face was one of confusion. She has heard two conflicting stories about her brother's fate. She must be deciding wether to trust her attackers or her aquaintence. "... Alright. I trust you. Lead the way."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"Espeon! Thank Arceus you're alive!" Umbreon darted full speed to his sister, in spite of doctors orders to avoid strenuous activity. But what the hey. He just learned his sister is alive and well. I'm sure we can let it slide this time.

The two made contact, wrapping their forepaws around each other in a big. Both are crying tears of joy. "They told me you were dead... I was so worried..." Espeon manages to choke out.

"It's ok. We're together again. And we have all four Entercards again."

"About that... I don't have them. Someone else does."

"That's ok. They got them, we can make more."

"No, not the thugs. Someone-.

"Excuse me? Miss Espeon?" A young voice calls out from behind us. To our surprise, it was Swadloon. And he was carrying two Entercards! Behind him was his confused mother. "I kept your promise. Here's your things back." He sets them down in front of her while the rest of us look in confusion. How did he get ahold of those?

"I suppose you want an explanation for this. Well... I'll tell you. I was trying to lose my pursuers in Inflora Forrest. You dug a hole for my cards and a gem that I carry with me and buried them so I wouldn't risk them. When I thought that I'd lost them, I cam back to find that he dug them up. In my haste to get my things back, he screamed, which would most certainly alert my pursuers. He wanted the gem to give to his mother so I struck a deal. He keep the cards safe and hidden away until I cam to get them and he could keep the gem. I told him not to tell anyone. By the expressions on everyone's faces, it appears that he kept his end of the deal. But..." She turned to Leavanny with a sorrowful look in her eyes. "...I'm sorry for putting your son in the firing line like that. If they had figured out that he had the cards... I am so, so sorry. I put him in danger... Can you forgive me?

There is a moment of silence as Leavanny contemplates her words. "...I would have rather he not be in danger, yes. But nothing happened to him, thankfully. And I'm proud of him for keeping his word. So... I forgive you."

Espeon lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me. Anyway, we should probably continue our research."

"Yeah." Umbreon agrees. "Thank you, New Hope. We are forever in your debt."

"Don't worry about it. It's what we do." Thunder replies.


	19. Heart to Heart

"Are these sorts of things everywhere on earth?" Thunder asks me as we make our way to Post Town. We're going to check on Umbreon and Espeon to see how their project is coming along. The ability to traverse any distance like this is ground breaking and has piqued my interest.

"You mean the Entercards? Absolutely not. That's not something I think humanity will create for many centuries. Especially since they seem to be a combination of technology and mystical energy. We don't have mystic energies on earth."

"Well... You still have technology. What have humans made with that?"

"Lots of things. Vehicles of all forms, handheld devices with so many different abilities and features, a global network of electronic information, even vehicles that escape the gravitational pull of the earth itself."

"You mean you've been in space?!"

"Well, not me personally, no. Only a few have. But it's still exciting to think about." I'm actually on the fence about if I'd actually want to go to space. It's always fascinated me, but with all the inherent risks involved... I'm just not sure. As we approach the town, we end the conversation. Just like always, I'm trying to keep my true nature as a human under wraps. I'd rather not think about what sort of asylums or mental institutions exist here. Or if they're any better or worse than on earth. Soon, we reach the eeveelution duo (Thunder taught me about evolution of Pokemon. A very strange concept to be honest.) on the hill in post town.

"Hey guys." Thunder says cheerfully. "How's the Magnagate stuff going?"

"Very, very well." Espeon responds.

"We're just fine tuning a few things." Umbreon adds. "In a few days, we should be ready to use it."

"Where will you go for your first actual use of it?" I ask.

Espeon starts to explain. "We're planning on going to the Great Glacier to-"

"Woah! Hold up!" Thunder interrupts. "Did you just say that you're going to the Great Glacier? THE Great Glacier? The one the no one has ever gotten to?"

"That's the one. Rumor has it that there's something called the Great Crystal there. Reportedly able to levitate objects by its mere presence."

"Forget the crystal!" I exclaim. "We're talking a major historical event here! We will go down in history as the first to reach this place! Our names will be in the history books for years to come!"

"'We?'" Umbreon asks.

"Well, I'm sure that New Hope would want to come, right, Thunder?"

"Heck yeah!" Thunder responds. "Of course we would!"

"...what do you think, Espeon?" Umbreon asks. "Could they come?"

"I don't see why not." She responds. And just like that, Thunder went nuts.

"Yes! Yes! Thank you! Thank you so much! Woooo! We're going to the Great Glacier!" Well... Now the entire continent knows. Not that it mattered. Word would spread regardless.

"We should get the others informed." I say. "It's a big trip. We'll need to be ready."

 _Dunsparce_

This morning Alex and Thunder had announced the big news. We were going to the Great Glacier. Everyone was ecstatic. Himself included. He was excited. So much so that he couldn't get to sleep no matter how hard he tried. It is late and he's up on the hill, gazing and the silhouette of the Glacier against the starry backdrop of the night sky. How could anyone expect to sleep after hearing this?! It's not possible.

"Is there room for one more?" A feminine voice asks from behind him, making him jump. It was Virizion. Dunsparce felt himself blush.

"Agh! Uh... Virizion? What are you doing up this late?!"

"I couldn't sleep. Too much energy."

"Same here, actually. You're welcome to stay." Virizion smiles in response and lays down next to him.

"You really want to go, don't you?

"Absolutely. I... I've always wanted to do something like this since I was a hatchling. Do something big. Historic. Important. But... I've never done much... And when I try I always botch it up. When I first met you, I was so afraid that I would mess up."

"I could tell. And... I wanted to say... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted the way I did. I hurt you so badly with my words."

"It's fine. I mean, you're with me now. Er... Uh... I hope that didn't sound... Uh..." He begins stuttering nervously, unsure if he acted too forward with her and ruined his chances. Virizion merely chucked quietly in response. "W-Well... I noticed something else as well." He says, desperate to change the subject. "Ever since I joined New Hope I've felt more... Confident. Like being around the creative Alex and the upbeat and optimistic Thunder makes me feel stronger. More capable. Able to do things I would have thought impossible before. Joining the team was the best thing to ever happen to me. No doubt. And now... I'm about to make history with them...

"I'm glad to hear. And whatever happens, I guarantee you that I will back you up. _We_ will back you up. You have our support. We're here for you whenever you need us."

"You mean that?"

"Absolutely. You're a part of the family. And in a family no one is put aside."

"T-thank you Virizion... You have no idea what this means to me."

"I can certainly guess." With that, the two of them sat quietly, staring out over the horizon, imagining what they will find when they make the journey.

 _Emolga_

Emolga couldn't sleep either. He was just too excited at the prospect of actually going to the great glacier. To try to work off some of that energy, he decided to take a short walk around Post Town. That's when he spotted Dunsparce and Virizion. Hiding behind a shrub on the hill, he eavesdropped, catching the tail end of the conversation. Dunsparce is right. Ever since they Joined, Emolga noticed his more positive attitude. And it took him by surprise that Virizion gave him her support. Of course Emolga would show support. He wouldn't be a very good friend if he didn't. But Virizion? Maybe Alex is right. Maybe she is trying to change. Trying to make amends. That doesn't mean he's going to let up on her, though. Not after what was done to Dunsparce...


	20. Wrench in the Works

"Alex? ...what are you doing?" Thunder asks me, confused.

"Sunbathing." I reply, laying belly down on a grassy hill. "I learned that Snivies can photosythisize. So I decided to try it out myself."

"Photo... What?

"Photosynthesis. Using sunlight to feed myself. All green plants do it."

"Wait, you can eat sunlight?"

"In a sense. It's more complicated than that but for all intents and purposes, yes. Plus it's actually quite relaxing."

"Hey, Alex? Thunder?" I hear Emolga's voice call us.

"Emolga?" Thunder responds. "What's up?"

"You're needed back in Paradise." Elmolga says. "Quagsire says he has something important to tell us."

"How important?" I ask.

"Like 'involving serious consequences' important."

"...tell him we'll be there as soon as we can."

Emolga nods in response, making his way back to Paradise Center. We follow a short ways behind.

"What do you think's going on, Alex?" Thunder asks.

"Whatever it is, I get the feeling I'm not going to like it..."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"Are you serious?! Someone has to stay behind?!" I exclaimed, surprised. Apparently Quagsire has friends who work for HAPPI. And they have a strict rule regarding long distance missions. At least one member must stay behind.

"Hmmm... I'm afraid so. Hmmm... There was an incident a while back. Hmmm... A teams base was ransacked by thieves who destroyed some expensive things provided by HAPPI. Hmmm... Since then they've established that at least one member must stay behind if the team goes on a long mission. Hmmm... If you don't, they will disband the team."

"That's ridiculous!" Emolga shouted. "They can't expect to exclude one of us from going on this! It's not right!"

"Emolga, we can't do anything to change that." Thunder says. "We have no choice but to leave someone behind. The question is... Who?" We all look at each other, not wanting to prevent anyone from going. This is a historic trip. It would crush anyone's spirit if they were told they couldn't come.

"I'll stay." Virizion was the first to speak up. We all look at her, surprised. Was she actually volunteering to stay behind?

"Virizion..." Dunsparce said, surprised.

"It's fine. Don't you worry about me. You all go enjoy yourselves."

"Well... Alright." I finally say. "Thanks for making this easy for us. Thunder and I will inform Umbreon and Espeon."

"Ok. You go do that. I'll see you later." Somethings off about her. Like she's hiding something personal. Probably best not to bug her about it.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"Good morning you two." I call out to the Umbreon and Espeon.

"Hey, Alex." Umbreon responds. "What're you and Thunder up to today?"

"Well... We came to inform you of a recent development. We have to leave at least one team member behind to watch Paradise. Virizion volinteered. So she won't be coming with us." In response to this, they look at each other with worried expressions. "What? What's wrong?"

"...she really shouldn't be left behind." Espeon finally says.

"Huh? Why?" Thunder asks.

"...do we tell them? She'd probably hate us if we did." Espeon asks.

"She can't just keep it hidden. I don't care if she objects. I'll tell them." Umbreon says firmly. "You see... Virizion had a friend. A close friend. Not unlike you two. His name was Keldeo. A bright mind. If a bit on the eccentric side. He took particular interest in our research with ley lines and the Entercards. He said that he'd like to go up to the glacier someday. Afterward they went to the edge of the crevice that prevents passage to the glacier. The got separated somehow and Virizion eventually had to leave.

"When she got home she found a note written in his hoofwriting. It said that he went to the crevice to get away from her. That he never liked her. That he never wanted to see her again."

"Oh wow... That's harsh..." I said to myself. "No wonder she struggles to trust others. If someone that close to you did that, I'd be less trusting as well.

Umbreon continues. "Keldeo was definitely smart enough to reverse engineer his own Entercards. So it's possible that he made it over." Oh... Well so much for the "historic mission" thing. "Virizion still cares for him and she wonders if he ever made it. It's important to her."

"But if she comes... Who stays?" Thunder asks.

"I don't know... I can't make that decision. Only you can."

"Also..." Espeon interjects. "Can we... Join New Hope?"

"What?" I say in surprise.

"I think it would be fun to... Explore with you. We can handle ourselves in a fight... Usually... Plus we could get information on the dungeons we explore. Further our research."

"What's your opinion on this Thunder?" I ask.

"Sure. They're coming with to the glacier anyway. It couldn't hurt to have them as teammates."

"Alright then. It's settled. You're officially members of Team New Hope. We can get you your badges tomorrow.

"Thanks guys!" Espeon cheers. "We won't let you down!

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"Wow. That's... That's awful. I'm sorta ashamed to say but... I feel bad for her." We had told Emolga about what had happened to Virizion regarding Keldeo. To say we did not expect this reaction would be a gross understatement. "But if she agrees to stay, should we really force her to come?"

"This has been plaguing her for a long, long time. She needs to know." I answer. "We should at least have a fair way to choose who stays. Like rolling a die or something."

"...well... Uh... W-why should I help her after what she did... Did to... I can't. I can't hate her like that. As much as I'd love to. You're right...she deserves a fair shot." This is so... So... Weird. Emolga actually showing empathy towards Virizion? It's almost unnatural. "Tomorrow we'll draw straws to see who stays. Will that work?"

"Yeah. Yeah that will work. Man... This is such a hard thing to deal with... It's like choosing one person to be locked away."

"Yeah. I know, Alex. But we do need to make the choice. At least this way everyone has a fair shot."

"You're right, Thunder. That doesn't make it any easier though.


	21. The Decision

As the sun rises on another morning, Thunder and I gather up the team to make the decision of who will stay behind. We all gather at Paradise Center, the atmosphere tense with dread and anticipation.

"I don't get why we're doing this." An annoyed Virizion says to us. "I already said. I'll stay behind."

"New information has come to light. Information regarding your past." I answer. There was no use hiding it. She'd find out eventually that they told us.

"My past? What are you..." Then it hits her. "They didn't."

"They did."

"Son of a Ditto! I TOLD them! I was absolutely clear to them not to tell anyone! Is it any wonder I can't trust anyone?! First Keldeo, now them!"

"Relax, Virizion." Thunder says, calmly. "They're worried about you. They told us because they care."

"Absolutely." I add. "You still care for him. You want to know if he made it. I understand. That's why they feel you should come. To lay this troubled matter to rest. And I promise, only New Hope will know about this."

"Forgive me if I feel your words are hollow." She responded curtly, sounding more like when we first met her.

"I will keep that promise." Emolga interjects. "You have my word. And if I go against my word, feel free to beat me to a pulp." This comes as a shock to everyone. I can't believe it. Emolga is actually warming up to her.

"...why should I trust you of all people? You were the one mocking me about my supposed intimacy with him." Virizion, however, seems to have reverted back to square one with her attitude. Man, this went downhill in a hurry.

"...I'm... Sor... So..." Emolga tries to say something, but can't seem to get it out. "...I'm sorry, alright?! I shouldn't have done that! It was wrong!" He lets out a deep breath. "There. I said it. Now. Can we just get on with this?"

Virizion looks at him, trying to hide a look of surprise. Unlike the rest of us who openly show it. "I accept your apology. And you're right. We should move on." And with that, it was over.

"Ok. Good. So. I couldn't get the straws we originally looked for. So I got some sticks and made a red mark on one of them. We all take a stick. The one who get she marked stick stays behind."

"Sounds straight forward." I take a deep breath. "Is everyone ready?"

"No, but let's do it." Thunder replies. With that, we all gather around, close our eyes and grab a stick. I feel my heart pound with anxiety. Will it be me? Will I be left behind? No... I need to calm myself. At least... If it is me I'll be able to devote more time to figuring out who's trying to contact me. Slowly, I open my eyes. No red mark. Just a plain stick. I breathe a sigh of relief. My next instinct is to check Thunder. Judging by his relived look he didn't pick the marked stick either. Good. It'll be significantly more fun with him at my side. I look at they others to see what they got. As it turns out the marked stick was picked by... Dunsparce.

"Oh no... Dunsparce... I... I'm so sorry..." Emolga says sincerely.

"...Probably for the best, anyway. I'm the weakest of our team. I'd just drag everyone down..." Oh... That's just depressing...

"No! Dunsparce-"

"Emolga... Just... I need some time to myself. I'll... See you when you guys leave..." With that... He slowly bounces away.

After a period of silence, Thunder speaks up. "We can't let this drag us down. Yes, Dunsparce is staying behind. But if we let our guilt haunt us during the trip, his sacrifice was for nothing. So let's stay positive. For his sake." He's right. I mean, we can't let this ruin the biggest trip of our lives, can we?

"You're right Thunder." I say aloud. "Besides. If we ever decide to go again, Dunsparce can come with us."

"I never thought about that." Emolga says. "Thanks you two. I appreciate the positivity."

"Anyways, Umbreon and Espeon say that we should be ready to go by tomorrow. So, let's all be sure to get a good night's rest. We're gonna need it."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

The next morning we all gather at the hill in Post Town, excited for our big adventure.

"Ooohhhh... I'm so hyper!" Thunder exclaims. "I've never felt this energetic in my life!"

"Me too, Thunder." I respond. "Umbreon, Espeon, it's time. Set the coordiantes." The duo nods, placing the cards in specific orientations, turning the sun and moon motifs on the cards. Apparently they can rotate. I never knew that.

"Care to do the honors, Thunder?" Umbreon asks.

"Of course I would!" Excitedly, he pushes down on the center. A click is heard. And then, it starts. The gate looks much more complex this time. Three rings instead of one. And the center has several curved pieces circling above the center point. It's so mystical. I like it.

"Alright everyone. Get inside." We step into the center, waiting for the gate to close. Slowly the rings start fading, one by one. This is it! We're actually going!

"Dunsparce?" Emolga calls out. "Come here for a moment. I want to tell you something before we go."

"A-alright." Dunsparce bounds over to Emolga.

"Make it quick!" Umbreon says. "The Magnagate won't stay open for much longer!"

Emolga whispers something in Dunsparce's ear. Too quietly for us to hear. Dunsparce gives a look of confusion to Emolga.

"Huh? What do you-" suddenly, Emolga shoves Dunsparce into the Magnagate and jumps out himself. Wait... Did he just swap with Dunsparce?! He just gave up his place for him!

"What the! Emolga!? What are you-" are the last things said by Dunsparce before the gate closes. Leaving Emolga behind.

 _Emolga_

"Enjoy yourself, buddy." He says to the intricate pattern on the ground where they once stood. "You need this far more than I do..."


	22. The Great Glacier

Let me be the first to say, traveling through that Magnagate felt like I just overdosed on both LSD and acid. At the same time. I could see massive ropes of energy, presumably ley lines, Crisscrossing everywhere, random colors pulsing through them at high speed. And there was just so much background visual noise that I could hardly figure out what was happening at any given moment! I could feel nausea setting in. Please don't puke...

A white vortex appears below me. Without any say in the matter, I am sucked into it. Next thing I know, I'm inside of the Magnagate ring with the rest of the team it isn't long until the ring collapses in the familiar whirlwind of air. I soon feel bile rising in my throat. With no other real option available to me, I vomit. It appears everyone except Umbreon and Espeon are in a similar, if not identical situation.

"Oh... Yeah... I should have told you to close your eyes for the ride." Espeon says with a slight hint of amusement. "What you see in there does a number to your sense of orientation. And, consequently, your stomach."

"Yeah." I say, slightly perturbed. "Thanks for the warning." With the unpleasantness over I take in my surroundings. We're in a cave. The rocks colored in shades of tan. Like sandstone. A thin cloud of mist fills the cavern. It definitely has a mysterious vibe to it.

"I can't believe Emolga did that." Dunsparce says in a confused tone. Oh yeah! I had almost forgotten about that! All the excitement of the trip distracted me. "Why would he give up his chance to go?"

"I guess he saw how heartbroken you were." Thunder responds. "I guess he felt that it was more important that you come along over him."

"Dunsparce..." I add. "You have an amazing friend there. He's willing to give up the trip of a lifetime just so you can experience it instead. A friend like that can be hard to come by. Make sure he knows how grateful you are when we get back."

After a moment of silent thought Dunsparce speaks up. "...you're right. I will. I will tell him."

"That's good to hear." Umbreon says. "Now, shall we begin our expedition?"

"Absolutely!" Thunder says excitedly. "Lead the way!"

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

We enter another Magnagate ring at the end of the dungeon. Entering it, I take Espeon's advice and shut my eyes. I already lost my breakfast. I don't need to lose my intestinal tract as well. While the experience is still... Weird... It's significantly less nauseating this time around. I wait until I hear the gate close before I open my eyes again. The first thing I notice is the icy landscape that lays before us. Second thing I notice is the freezing cold air.

"We... We did it. We're actually here." Thunder says aloud. "We're on the Great Glacier!"

"This is amazing!" Dunsparce adds. "I only ever dreamed of this! And yet... Here I am..."

"It truly is a sight to behold." Says Virizion. "Let's keep moving to see what else this place has for us to find."

"Agreed. Let's go." Umbreon agrees.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"So, Umbreon, Espeon," I inquire. "What prompted you to come to the Great Glacier in the first place?"

"Mostly a legend about something called the Great Crystal." Espeon answers. "It's a crystalline structure that creates antigravity. Objects in its vicinity are levitated. Legend has it that it rests here. At the Great Glacier."

"So it wasn't just the idea of going to this famous location that brought you here?" Thunder asks.

"No." Umbreon replies. "We prefer to have a tangible reason behind our little adventures. Usually furthering our research in some way, shape, or form. Or, you know. For fun, occasionally, when there's nothing to do."

"So you want to be sure to make the most of your time." I say. "Makes sense. You only live for so long. Wait a minute... What's that?" I point off into the distance. As we approach it we see something etched into the glacial ice. An intricate circular pattern. Hold on a moment! Isn't this...

"That's a Magnagate echo!" Espeon exclaims in surprise. "What on Pokèmar is this doing here?"

"Aren't these created after a Magnagate disappears?" I ask.

"They are." She answers. "But who else could use a Magnagate?"

"Keldeo." Virizion chimes in. "You said yourself, he knew how to make them. It's possible this is from him traveling here."

"That's a good point." She agrees.

"Is there any way to see where he came from or went to using it?" I ask.

"Yes, actually. If we just activate the Entercards in the middle of the echo, theoretically it should default to the gate opened that created the echo."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Thunder says excitedly. "Let's do it!" Umbreon nods and sets the Magnagate generator down in the center of the intricate pattern. He presses down on it and we all stand back, waiting for the gate to open. We are greeted by the familiar effects synonymous with the creation of a Magnagate. But there's something else. Behind the gate a few miles out, a pillar of golden light shines through the ground. And then another even farther out. It's a trail of golden pillars of light leading all the way to the glacier's peak.

"Woah..." I utter quietly. "Is that supposed to happen?"

"I wouldn't know." Umbreon replies. "I've never done this before. I guess it means that he went to the peak.

"So... We follow?"

"I don't see why not. Alright everyone. Get into the gate before it closes. Wouldn't want anyone left behind."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

We exit the Glacial Underpass mystery dungeon created by the Entercards into a tunnel inside the glacier. With nowhere to go, we follow the tunnel.

"I didn't think glaciers could have hollowed out sections." I observe. "Could it be artificial?"

"I doubt it." Virizion responds. "No one else except maybe Keldeo has been here. I don't think he could make something like this."

"Oh! Look! There's a light ahead!" Thunder calls out. Sure enough there was indeed a light. We pick up the pace and find that the cave opens up into a large area with... is... Is that... How... What...

"Holy-" is all I can think to say...


	23. Frisms

Words can't fully describe what it is that I see before me. But fricking heck I'll try. It was a massive mountain of icy spikes. It towered over us like a skyscraper. And it appears that the whole peak of the glacier is completely hollow! We're inside a massive chamber inside of a glacial mountain! And there's this... Structure inside it! This huge icy structure! How! Why!

"I take back what I said about it not being artificial..." Virizion says, awestruck by the sight. "Because there is no way that's a natural formation."

"How do you even hollow out a mountain of ice without it collapsing?" Umbreon muses.

"I have no idea..." Espeon replies.

"Who, or what, made this?" I say aloud.

"Well... There's only one way to find out." Dunsparce says. "We go explore it. I can see an entry into it."

"I second the notion." Thunder eagerly replies.

"Espeon and I are definitely in." Umbreon answers.

"If there's any evidence of Keldeo, it's there." Virizion states definitively.

"Then it's settled. We go in." I say. "Forward!" With that, the entire team rushes in, excited to discover the secrets that lie within. But as for me... Something feels wrong. I hesitate, lagging behind everyone else. Thunder must have noticed this. Because he slowed down a bit to roll right up beside me.

"Is something wrong, Alex?" He asks.

"I don't know... It might be my imagination but... That thing... It feels... Dark... Sad... Devoid of joy or hope... Like something's stealing it away...

"You're probably thinking too hard. Come on, enjoy yourself. Forget this doom and gloom stuff. We're here to have fun!"

"...I guess you're right. Let's get to it, then."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

This place is apparently some sort of building. It's got the layout of a maze, though. I'm going to hazard a guess and say it's a mystery dungeon. Probably the first I've seen to actually look "mysterious." That may partially explain this whole thing. But not completely.

"Woah... Look at this!" Thunder calls out. He points to several large chunks of ice that are... Floating? What?

"Well... Chalk up floating ice chunks on my list of 'things I did not expect to see today.' Right under 'giant ice palace.'" I say, humorously.

"Umbreon..." Espeon says, intrigued. "This correlates to those legends. Large objects levitating without apparent external influence. Evidence of the existence of the Great Crystal."

"You're right." Umbreon agrees. "The Great Crystal is probably responsible. We sho- oh my... No way... Are these what I think they are?" He turns his attention to several ornate vases scattered across the floor. Part of me wanted to think he was a bit out of it, but with everything I've seen in this past day _alone_ , it wouldn't surprise me if it were some sort of ancient artifact with evil powers.

"Frisms?!" Virizion exclaims in surprise. "Incredible! These things are super rare."

"Frisms? What are those?" Thunder asks. You know what, it's nice not being the only one who has little to no idea how everything works or what something is.

"It's more fun to show you." Espeon replies. "Here. Take one, and say something into it. Anything you can think of.

"Ok..." Thunder says. He quickly tries to think of something to say into the frism. "Uh... Hello? Um... This... Is Team New Hope!" Suddenly, the top freezes over with a thin layer of ice. "Huh?! Is... Is that supposed to happen?"

"It is. The sound has been frozen. You melt the ice, the sound plays back just as it was received." ...I _really_ want to pick apart the logic behind this. But there's no point. At all. This is normal here. And no amount of apparent disregard for the laws of physics will change that. Thunder breathes out onto the "frozen sound" and melts the ice. Thunder's voice is heard from the frism.

"Uh... Hello? Um... This... Is Team New Hope!" It was flawless. An exact replica of what was said. Every minute detail was captured in the recording. That is incredible. "That is awesome! I an definitely taking this with me."

"Hey. Look over there." Dunsparce calls out. "That one has a voice in it." Sure enough, the frism he's looking at has that same thin layer of ice on it.

"Odd..." Umbreon says. "Maybe it picked up a falling ice stalactite."

"I don't think so." I respond. "Thunder had to speak directly into it for it to work. And none of the others froze over while we were talking. So I'm not confident it picked up falling ice."

"Well..." Dunsparce says. "There's only one way to find out." He bounces up to the frism and breaths on the opening, melting the ice on it.

A male voice starts speaking. "Hellooooo? Can anyone heeeeeaaaaar meeeeee? Hehe... I love messing with these things. So, uh... What should I talk about? Hm... Well... I may be the first Pokemon to set food on this land. And let me tell you, this place is incredible. And so full of mystery... As any good mystery dungeon should be. But this... This is in a league of its own. Well... I should probably stop playing with this and get back to exploring. So... Goodbye, I guess."

after a short while, I break the silence. "Well. It's confirmed now. We were beaten to the punch. Whoever made that recording was here before us."

"Virizion?" Dunsparce asks. "Are you... Crying?"

"She probably is." Umbreon answers quietly. "That was Keldeo's voice." Oh... Yeah... That would probably do it.

"I always loved that about you, Keldeo..." Virizion says through a shaky, sobbing voice. "Always joking. Always lighthearted. We used to have such a good time together... Why? Why did you leave me?! You were my friend! Like a Brother... I thought you liked me! Why, Keldeo! Why did you have to go?! Why!? ...why..." All of those bottled up emotions, all that sadness and heartbreak, all being released here and now as she lets herself collapse on the floor. I can't help but feel sorry for her.

"That's right, Virizion... Let it all out." Espeon consoles. "We're all friends here... You don't have to hold it in any longer." We all rest our hands (or tails in Dunsparce's case) on Virizion's back, as if we were trying to absorb her pain, moving it away from her.

"Keldeo... Please come back, Keldeo... I miss you... I miss you..."


	24. Guardians

"Is it just me or is it getting harder to breathe?" Thunder asks.

"It does feel that way..." Virizion agrees. "Might we have gone a bit too high in this palace?"

"That's definitely not it." Espeon says. "Altitude sickness starts at around 12,000 feet. I'd estimate we're 4,000 to 5,000 feet. Definitely not 12,000."

"What are you guys talking about?" I ask, perplexed. "I'm breathing just fine."

"You mean you can't feel that?" Thunder asks. "The air getting thinner?"

"No. It's all just normal to me."

"That's strange..."

"How bad is it?"

"Not too bad. It's a little harder, but I can deal with it."

"Hey guys?" Dunsparce interrupts. "Look at this. There's a large room ahead." We enter the aforementioned room and look around. Off to the right there was another passageway. In front of us was something rather out of place. One round, big stone golem embedded in the wall. And above it, two large snowflake patterns protruding from the ice in the wall.

"Is... That stone?" I ask, already knowing the answer. "Everything we've seen has been ice. Now there's suddenly stone."

"That is strange, come to think of it... " Espeon says. "Glaciers tend to have dirt and stone inside of them. I'd expect more than this, though."

"Well, very little about this glacier is normal." I respond. At that moment something catches my eye. A slight movement in one of the golem's arms. I start backing up cautiously. "Guys... I think it just moved..."

"I didn't see anything..." Virizion says.

"I swear, it moved. I didn't touch it. It just moved." I decide to move in closer to inspect it. Big mistake. Its arm breaks free from the ice and grabs me in a tight grip. "Ach! Hey! Let go!" It simply stays silent, showing no indication that it was listening. Instead, it lifts up its arm and punts me across the room like it was a star quarterback. I crash hard into the wall and fall to the ground, taking a minute to recover from the pain and my scrambled senses. When I come to, I see the golem towering over our team. The two snowflakes had also broken free and were hovering menacingly.

"Alex!" Thunder called back to me. "Are you hurt!?"

"Nothing too bad. But we have bigger issues at them moment. What are we up against?"

"A Golurk and two Cryogonal."

"Right. Thunder and I will handle the Golurk. Virizion, Dunsparce, take the Cryogonal." Everyone moves to take on their assigned targets. "Thunder, take the left. I'll take the right."

"Got it." He strafes to the left of the Golurk, grabbing its attention with a quick shock. It swings its arms in an attempt to crush him. However, it lacks the speed needed to pin Thunder down. Thunder simply sidesteps the strikes. Taking the opportunity I start conjuring a leaf tornado, a new move a learned before we left. The vortex of wind grows from atop my tail leaf, smaller razor sharp leaves tumble in the powerful gusts.

I whip my tail in the Golurk's direction, sending the whirling vortex right at it. The winds disorient it and the leaves imbed themselves into the stone body. It is vulnerable to attack. In spite of its condition it manages to deal a shadow punch on Thunder. Thankfully he's unharmed. Mostly.

A retaliatory electro ball later and the Golurk is down for the count. With the Golurk down, we put our attention to the rest of the opposition, the two Cryogonal. Thankfully, Virizion and Dunsparce had done a good job weakening them. A few hits later and they are down for the count.

"Why the heck did they attack us?" I ask.

"Maybe they were guarding something." Thunder replies. "The question is, what?"

"Guess there's only one way to find out."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"I can't... I can't breathe..." Espeon pants.

"Ugh... I think I'm going to pass out..." Thunder states.

"What on earth is going on? Why am I unaffected?" I ask, confused. It appears that the air has gotten even thinner for them. To the point where they simply can't get enough air in their lungs. One by one, they begin to pass out. "Guys?! What's happening! Wake up!" I try to shake them awake, to no avail.

A roar echoes in the distance. "What in the-" suddenly, an almost literal wall of frigid air slams into me, blasting me, and the unconscious forms of my teammates, back into the room with the guardians. Now with more air to use, my friends start coming to.

"Alex?" Thunder asks. "What happened? Why are we back here?"

"I don't know." I respond. "There was this wind and-" I get cut short by the sound of something big falling behind me. A giant, grey, bipedal dragon creature wearing an incomplete set of armor made out of ice.

"Identity yourselves." It's loud voice echoes across the room.

"Uh..." I hesitate. What does it want? Is it another guardian? Is it going to try and kill us? Well... Maybe if we are tactful we can sort things out without bloodshed. "I'm... Alex... This is Thunder, Dunsparce, Virizion, Umbreon, and Espeon. We are together known as Team New Hope. What's your name?"

"New Hope? Intriguing name..." I swear, I can feel my bones rattling with every word it speaks. It's nothing if not intimidating. "I am Kyurem. Protector of the Glacier Palace. It appears you have already met my first line of defense."

"Yeah. Sorry about that. We were just defending ourselves."

"You are fortunate to have encountered me in a good mood. Tell me. What is your purpose for being here?"

"Exploration, research, and personal." Umbreon replies.

"I'm afraid your exploration must end here, however. Proceeding any further will lead to your untimely demise. Tell me, what research are you doing?"

"We're searching for the Great Crystal. Since we can't continue searching for it, though, can you confirm if it's here? My sister and I will accept simply knowing it's here if we can't actually get to it."

"The Great Crystal is here, yes."

"Yes!" Espeon quietly yells. "Thank you, Kyurem."

"One last thing..." Virizion interjects. "Has a Pokemon by the name of Keldeo passed by here before?

"Keldeo..." Kyurem says to himself before returning attention back to Virizion. "I have no recollection of a 'Keldeo.'"

"I... I see...thanks anyway."

"Now you all must leave. However..." Kyurem then turns around and pulls a chunk of the wall off, revealing a secret room. Inside was a blue, icy chest. "You may take the contents of this chest as a reward for making it this far."

"Really?" Thunder cheers. "Thanks, Kyurem!" We make our way to the chest and open it up. Inside is a massive amount of Poké. Just gold coins everywhere. "I've never seen this much money in one place before..." Thunder says, awestruck.

"Well... We're never going to be able to carry this thing out of here." I say. "There's just too much. Everyone grab as much as you think you can carry. We'll have leave the rest here. And thanks again, Kyurem."

"I pray that you make good use of it. Farewell."


	25. World in Peril

Our arrival back to Post Town was met by a crowd of everyone asking what it was like. I felt like a celebrity being hounded by the press. Though I was glad to see everyone again. And glad to see life going back to its "normal" state. Noting requests, rescuing Pokemon in peril, growing the town of Pokemon Paradise, the usual.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

I wake up with a satisfied yawn. Thunder does the same shortly thereafter.

"Morning, Thunder." I say.

"Morning, Alex." He replies. "Same thing today?"

"That's the plan."

A knock on the door interrupts us. "Hey! Alex! Thunder! Come on out!" Emolga's voice calls from the other side of the door. "I have something cool to show you!"

"Be right there!" I call back. I turn back to Thunder. "Shall we?"

"Lead the way." I nod and reach for the door. Pulling it open I see... Nothing?

"...Emolga?" I call, looking around the yard. The dry, grassless yard. Man, I should probably ask Gurrdur to help with landscaping. "Where'd you go?"

"Over here!" He calls from behind the house.

"Emolga? What are you doing back there?"

"Back where? I'm over here!" Wait... His voice is coming from... The right? But wasn't he... "And here!" Behind us again? "And now over here!" Ok, what the... "I've learned to teleport!"

"Thunder, is that even a thing here?" I whisper quietly.

"With some psychic types, yes. Not with Emolgas."

"Then how the-"

"And I can be in multiple places at once!" Seriously?! There are voices everywhere! How- wait a minute... Didn't we come back from the Glacier Palace with something that could do this?

"I think I know what's going on here, Thunder..." I say as I walk to where one of the voices came from. Sure enough, my suspicions were confirmed. A frism. I pick it up and show it to Thunder. "Our friend has been toying with us."

"Of course..." Thunder hones in another location and finds Emolga speaking into another frism. "Hang on a moment... I thought we only brought back one of those." Thunder catches Emolga off guard and startles him. He looks at Thunder, embarrassed at being found out. I soon catch up to them, a smirk showing on my face.

"Uh... Well, Umbreon and Espeon snagged a few extra for research purposes." He responds. "I just decided to play a prank on you with them... Sorry..."

I chuckle in response. "It's no harm done. So, is this what you came to show us?"

"No, actually. Come with me."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"Ever since you guys left for the Great Glacier these yellow orbs have been appearing in the distance."

"Does anyone know what they are?" Thunder asks.

"No one has any idea. At least they look cool." Emolga leads us to the Post Town hill and points to the horizon. "That one just appeared this morning. All they do is float up into the sky." Sure enough, there was a yellow orb. Slowly acceding into the sky.

"Huh. Strange." I say. "How many of these things have appeared since we left?

"I lost count at 20." Emolga answers.

"Any patterns?" I inquire. "Are they appearing more or less frequently that when they started? Are they a precise time apart?"

"Not that anyone's noticed. They appear random."

"Might be worth investigating at some point. What do you think, Thunder?"

"I wouldn't mind figuring out where these things are coming from." He relplies. "Anyways, wanna come with on a mission, Emolga?"

"Would I?! I'd love to!"

"Then we'll meet you back at Paradise Center. We've got a few things to work on before we can go."

"Alright then. See you there!"

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

...Back in psychedelic world again. I had just gotten into bed for the night. But it appears that fate has other plans.

"Alex! Can you hear me?!" The voice cries.

"Yes! Yes I can hear you!" Finally! I can respond. "Who are you?

"Oh, praise Arceus... I finally got through." A floating figure appears before me. It's that same pink creature that I saw in that vision on day 1. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Munna. And I have been trying to contact you this whole time."

"I've gotten snippets occasionally, but it's good to finally meet face to face. Or, as close as one can through telepathy. You've been mentioning a threat to this world. Can you elaborate?"

"Hydreigon. A monster fueled by hunger. It kills and devours anyone it finds. It has taken many, many lives already. If it keeps this up, it will disrupt the balance of the natural law. Catastrophe will occur and everyone on this world will perish. "

"Well, what can I do against something like that? I'll just end up as another piece of meat in its stomach. I'm not some hero..."

"Maybe not in your world, but here, you are. You're human. Something unique. And you are stronger for it. All that I ask is that you at the very least try. And if not for me or this planet, do it for your friends." ...she has a point... Could I live with myself if I stood idly by as the billions of lives were extinguished, knowing I had the chance to save them? And my friends, Thunder, Dunsparce, Emolga, everyone. They'll all die if I don't at least try and intervene. I have to help. For their sakes.

"...count me in. What do you need me to do?"

"Thank you! That means so much!" She cheers. "I have a plan. It's risky, but it's the best one we got."

"Ok then. Let's hear it."

"I feel it would be better if I told you in person. I know a safe place at the base of Mt. Kilionea to the southeast. There's a cave on the southwest side next to the Forest of Shadows. Meet me there and we'll discuss the plan together in person."

"Sounds good, Munna. Be safe."

"I will. May Arceus watch over you."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

The morning sun rises. I wake up, recalling the dream. I guess my true nature as a human is going to go public.

"Thunder. Wake up. It's important." I gently shake my friend awake. He yawns and slowly gets up, turning towards me.

"Important? What do you mean?"

"I've learned why I was sent here. Gather the team. Tell them I have an important announcement in Paradise Center. We are in the middle of something big."


	26. Rendezvous

"So... Let me see if I got this straight." Emolga starts saying skeptically. "You're a human in Pokemon, and you were brought here by a Munna who has a plan to stop a monster that will destroy the world."

"Pretty much." I reply. "Look, it sounds crazy-"

"Yeah. Yeah it does. You sound like you're completely high."

"-but you have to believe me. If this is true then billions of lives are at risk. We can't ignore that!"

"Alex..." Espeon interrupts. "It's not that we don't want believe you, it's that what you're saying sounds straight from the pages of a novel."

"Even so," Dunsparce adds. "why didn't you tell us before?"

"Because I was afraid you'd throw me in an insane asylum. Call me delusional. That's what they'd do back on earth." I let out a sigh. "Please. Just trust me. I haven't led you wrong before, have I?"

An uncomfortable silence fills Paradise Center. "...you know what? Forget it. I should have just kept it between Thunder and I."

"Alex-" Thunder starts.

"Thunder... They're not going to listen to us... Let's just go. We can probably make it to Mt. Kilionea within a week if we move fast."

"Alex. Wait." Virizion speaks up. "...I... I believe you." And just like that, all eyes train on her.

"Virizion?!" Emolga exclaims in shock. "You actually believe his insane story?"

"I have seen a lot of crazy things in my life. Heck, I've heard this sort of thing before. A human turning into a Pokemon. So there's a seed of truth there. And the sheer magnitude of what he's proposing... Can we afford not to trust him?"

"You have a point, Virizion." Umbreon agrees. "...I suppose that there's no harm in trying."

"I suppose I'm just following my brother's lead." Espeon says

"...alright. I'm in." Emolga says.

"If Emolga's in, I'm in." Dunsparce says

"...thank you. All of you." I say, choking up a little. I fight to hold back tears. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

"Alright. Enough small talk. Let's figure out what we're doing."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

So, after some planning, we decided on this plan of attack. There have been recent reports of a dragon type Pokemon roaming the Mt. Kilionea area. It matches the vision of Hydreigon that I've seen. This complicates things. We can use the Magnagate generator to shorten the trip dramatically, but we cannot set the exit directly at the base of the volcano. The colorful display would easily attract the attention of Hydreigon, leading to our demise. So instead. We will exit in the Forest of Shadows to the southwest and make our way up from there. It will be only Thunder and I going as we don't want to risk being found by Hydreigon. A larger team is a larger target. Once we get Munna, we are to head back to the Magnagate echo we created in the forest and make our way back. Then we can discuss putting Munna's plan into action. So, so many things could go wrong. But, if we play our cards right, we can pull through.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

Everything is in place. The Magnagate coordinates are set and Thunder and I have gotten the necessary equipment. We are ready to go. Everyone was gathered at the hill, ready to send us on our way.

"You better not get yourselves killed." Emolga says. "Wouldn't want you to grow bored up in the spirit world without me." That elicits a chuckle from me.

"Thanks, Elmolga." I respond. Umbreon activates the gate and the familiar red rings appear.

"It's ready." Umbreon tells us. "Best of luck to you."

Thunder and I step into the gate, ready to go.

"See you when you get back... Hopefully." Dunsparce says, somewhat unsure.

"Be safe, you two." Virizion says.

"With any luck, we'll see you both back here in one piece." Espeon says.

"Ew... You mean they'd be fused together in some Arceus forsaken monster?" Emolga says, jokingly.

"You know what I mean Emolga."

"Don't worry. We should be back in a matter of days." Thunder says optimistically. "Let's face this head on!" And with that, the gate closes, sending us off.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

Our trip through the Magnagate wasn't anything too eventful. It didn't take long for us to reach the other end into the Forest of Shadows. In spite of the name, though, it wasn't that bad. The place was quite nice.

We were making great time. At this rate we'd be there and back in about three days. Of course, the sun must set. And it has. With the sun gone, we decide to set camp. A campfire and a small tent. We eat some food roasted over the fire and tuck in to get some sleep. Maybe get an update from Munna as well.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

Back in dreamland. The land of swirling colors. And my connection to Munna.

"Munna. Can you hear me?" I call out.

"Alex? Are you there?" Her voice calls back.

"Loud and clear. Me and a friend of mine are a few miles southwest in the Forest of Shadows. We should be there tomorrow. How are things on your end? I've been hearing that something that looks a lot like Hydreigon is roaming the area."

"He is?! But... That's not possible... He shouldn't know that we're here..."

"Alright. Change of plan. We'll have to sneak you away. Once we get into the forest we should be able to-"

"No... Oh no... No! He found me! Alex! Alex, help! Help me!" Oh, that's bad. That is really bad. If we lose Munna we lose a valuable resource in this fight.

"Munna? Are you there? Munna, talk to me! What's going on?!" Nothing... Silence. Is she... Did Hydreigon kill her? No... No, she can't be dead! There's too much riding on this! She **can't** be dead! "MUNNA!"

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"Alex! Wake up, Alex!" I jolt awake. I must have been doing something in the physical world, because Thunder looks thoroughly concerned. "Are you ok? You were screaming 'Munna' over and over again. What happened?"

"Munna was attacked..."

His eyes light up in fear. "Hydreigon?" I nod. "Is... Is she alright?"

"I don't know. She cut out before I could hear anything else."

"...what do we do?"

"Time is of the essence. Best case scenario, she was either wounded or is still being chased. And in either situation she doesn't have much time. We need to go immediately."

"You're right. I'll pack everything up."

"No. Leave it. It'll weigh us down."

"If you say so." And with that, we race through the night, desperately hoping that Munna somehow managed to survive her encounter with the ravenous dragon.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"There! That has to be the cave!" Thunder gestures to a cavern in the mountain wall. Thankfully the remaining distance to Mt. Kilionea was easily manageable. We had easily made it to the the steep mountainside in good time. Hopefully good enough to save Munna.

"Good. If she's not there, we'll at least have some form of trail to follow." I reply as we enter the cave. "Thunder, spark up. We need some light." Thunder's cheeks start sparking vigorously, producing light to guide our way.

Our search takes a while. We are calling out Munna's name repeatedly. But not so loudly that we'd attract Hydreigon's attention. Eventually, someone calls back.

"Alex? Is that you?" The female voice asks weakly.

"Yes! Yes it's me! We're here to get you out." I reply, following the sound of her voice. Soon, Thunder's light shines on her. She's lying on the ground, wincing in pain. "How bad is it?"

"Not... Not too bad..."

"Are you well enough to get to the forest?"

"I... I think so..."

"Alright. Thunder. Grab an Oran berry."

"No... I don't need it."

"Hey, don't worry. This should help you out somewhat."

"No. I mean that I truly don't need it. In shedding the facade."

"Facade? What are you-" at that moment, the cave lights up. As it turns out, we are surrounded. I count two Chandelure, four Excadrill, two Gigalith, and... No... That's the same Toxicroak and Purugly that were hunting Espeon at the Crags of Lament!

"...Alex? What's going on?" Thunder asks, worried.

"...I think we've walked right into a trap..."


	27. Escape

I am running ideas through my head, trying to figure out how we're going to get out of this. But I'm coming up with nothing.

"Why, Munna?" I ask. "Why drag me all the way to an entirely different planet just to kill me?"

"Do you really think I'm stupid enough to tell you my intentions? What am I, some fictional supervillain?" She scoffs. "No. All that's going to happen is that we're going to kill you. And that's that."

"And Thunder?"

"Your friend? I really wish you didn't bring him along. Because now he has to die as well."

"Munna..." Thunder says nervously. "Don't do this... You don't have to do this..."

"No. For everyone's sake, I have to kill you. And every other human brought here." Wait, there are others?! Other humans were brought here as well?! "Enough talk. We've wasted enough time. Kill them!"

"Right away, Mistress Munna!" Toxicroak replies. They are closing rapidly. Either we're going to pull a narrow escape or become permanent residents of the afterlife. There has to be a way out! Wait... The Chandelure... They provide the light... If we were to hit them and temporary knock their lights out... It may give us the chance we need to get away. I look to Thunder, subtly gesturing to him, then to the left Chandelure. He nods. Here's hoping I was clear enough in my directions. I yell and charge right into the Chandelure on the right. Thunder takes the cue and does the same for the other one. Our hits connect, plunging the cavern into darkness. I can't see a thing, but the good news is neither can they.

"Hey!" Munna yells. "What in the..."

"They knocked out our lights!" One of the Chandelure responds. "Give us a minute and we'll have them back on."

"Well make it fast! They're getting away!" Indeed we were. I blindly stumble through the darkness, deliberately heading in the opposite direction of their voices. I can only assume that Thunder is doing the same. With any luck we won't find ourselves trapped in a dead end.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

Is... Is that light? Outside light at the end of the tunnel? Yes! I think it is! I redouble my efforts to reach it, hoping my attackers aren't close behind. It would seem the the sun has started rising and the night sky is vanishing to the sheer power of the sun. I have to shield my eyes as I had gotten acclimated to the dark.

"I think we lost them, Thunder." I pant as I exit the cave. Wait a minute... Where's... "Thunder? Are you there?" Looking around I see no sign of him. We must have been separated when the lights went out. Oh... I really hope they didn't catch him... I couldn't bear to loose a friend like him.

"Look! There he is!" A voice from behind calls.

"Oh, frick!" I mutter under my breath. I hadn't lost them. I can't stop now. I need to keep moving.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

I am really getting tired at this point. I'm not sure how long I can keep this up before fatigue sets in. But with my life on the line, I have to keep going. Unfortunately for me, I'm not given a choice in the matter. I end up running right up to the edge of a sheer cliff. Looking down just confirms my suspicions. I would never survive a fall like that. This means one thing, I'm trapped.

"Well well well..." Toxicroak's voice echoes from behind me. I turn around to see him, the Chandelure, and the Gigalith. A poison type and two fire types... The Gigalith I might be able to take, but the other three... There's no way I'm getting out of this alive. "You sent us for quite the chase. You're clever, I admit that. But it won't save you this time."

"Probably not..." I pant. "But... I'm not going out... Without a fight."

Toxicroak chuckles. "I was hoping you'd say that. Alright everyone. Let's finish him."

My attackers are quick to spring into action. The Chandelure start spraying purple fire my way. I react quickly, rolling out of the way, consequently coming face to face with one of the Gigalith, whom tries to stomp me. I react with an energy ball, sending him staggering back. Toxicroak is the next to strike. I do my best to avoid his strikes. Which I surprisingly manage to pull of.

The Chandelure open fire once more, catching me off guard. I take a hit, but it's not enough to keep me down. Realizing that my agility will be the deciding factor, I gun it, dashing through the attacking group. Turning around, I take a blast seed and wing it in their direction. The blast forces them back. I ready myself for their retaliation, but it never comes. The answer soon becomes apparent, reinforcements have arrived. A steel claw rips through my back, causing me to cry out in pain. Turing around I see the Excadrill and a... Oh you have got to be kidding me... A Salamence...

Still staggered, I am unable to respond as the attacking Excadrill impales me through the gut with its center claw. The pain is excruciating. He throws me back towards the cliff. Thankfully I manage to grab hold on the edge just before I fall. But it's clear that its only delaying the inevitable. Considering I'm now mortally wounded, bleeding profusely, and dangling off the edge of a cliff.

"Shame... I thought you'd put up more of a fight than that." Toxicroak mocks. "But, the end result is still the same. Salamence... End it." The massive dragon stomps over to the edge, raising his foot to crush my hand underneath it. Not that it would matter. My grip is close to failing anyway. Well... This is it... I did what I could... But in the end, I guess I was destined to die...

My thoughts are interrupted when a beam of energy, slams into the Salamence. Knocking him backwards. I turn around to see who my rescuer is. ...wait... That's... Hydreigon... He's... Helping me?

I couldn't hold on any longer. I lose my grip and begin falling, screaming the whole way down. Hydreigon spots me and dives right at me, jaws open. Is he going to eat me? Catch me? I... I can't think... I must have lost too much blood... I'm feeling lightheaded... Can't... Stay... Awake...


	28. The True Threat

I slowly wake up from my slumber. I feel weak. Very weak. I open my eyes an survey my surroundings. First thing that catches my eye is that my bandana is now tied at my midriff and heavily soaked in blood. By the looks of it, someone used it as a makeshift bandage. Well, guess it's better than nothing. Tearing my eyes away from my body I look around. Stone walls I'm in a cave. Just your run of the mill cave.

"Ah! Good. You're awake." A voice says from behind. I turn around to address it. What greets me is none other than Hydreigon himself. In a brief moment of panic I try to get away, but only succeed in putting myself in much more pain. "No! Stop! You're still recovering! Don't worry. I'm not going to eat you."

"You're Hydreigon, right?" I respond. "The Hydreigon that Munna told me about? The ravenous monster?"

"Do you really want to trust the word of someone who tried to have you killed? And boy, did they do a number on you. You had lost so much blood. And that wound in your gut? I think I was able to see internal organs. I was worried your intestines would start-"

"Alright! Enough! I've lost enough fluid as is! Don't make me puke out the rest. Please."

"...ah... Fair enough." A brief moment of silence fills the cave.

"I don't get it... Why would Munna take me halfway across the universe just to kill me? It doesn't make sense..."

"That's because she didn't. I did. And it was to an entirely different universe. But, you know, technicalities."

"Wait, you?"

"She's clever. That's for sure. She found a way to hijack my telepathic signal and send you false information. And lead you into a trap."

"Forgive me if I'm hesitant to trust you."

"Look, if I was really as bad as she makes me out to be, you wouldn't be here to talk about it." He makes a good point. And Munna isn't exactly trustworthy, as I learned the hard way, so I would make sense that Hydreigon is actually kind.

"...I guess you're right... So... Care to tell me the real reason I'm here?"

"...The Bittercold."

"Is that supposed to be familiar to me?"

"Not likely. It also goes by the name of the Great Crystal." Wait, that thing that Umbreon and Espeon were searching for in the Great Glacier? That's why I'm here? "You see... Long ago, during the early days of Pokèmar, there was a prophecy, woven into the fabric of fate. And this prophecy talked about the world growing cold, callous, cruel, and evil. And that all those dark and negative feelings would coalesce into an entity, the Bittercold. The Bittercold, once large enough, would then destroy every single living thing on the face of the planet so that Arceus could start anew."

"So judgement day... And this is happening soon?"

"Very. Less than a week."

"Well what do you expect me to do? How on earth am I supposed to defeat something that fate has declared will win?"

"Let me finish. You see, I am the Voice of Life, the manifestation of the will to live of every life form on this planet. And the reason I brought you here is what's known as the Winds of Dispair. You see, these winds feed the negativity of the planet into it and will cause any Pokemon who crosses their path to suffocate. No Pokemon could ever get close to it. But... Only Pokemon are influenced."

"So humans are immune?"

"To my knowledge, yes. Humans are unaffected. That's why I summoned you and many other humans. I had hoped to lead all of you there to end this, but Munna, under Kyurem's command, hijacked my signal and lured them into traps, one by one. Those yellow orbs you likely saw? Those are the consciousnesses of the slain humans. To my knowledge, you're the last one still alive."

"I see... That's a lot to take in..."

"You're the last hope for this world. I'm sorry to put this much pressure on you, but you're all that's left."

"...well... I can't sit idly by while the world is wiped out. I'll do whatever I can. Even if I'm fighting fate." A distant roar interrupts our conversation. "What... Was that?"

"Salamence? I though I lost him!"

"It appears not. Are we safe here?"

"No we're not. He has our scent. It will only be a matter of time before he checks here. Are you feeling well enough to walk?" I stand up and take a few test steps. It's painful, but I can manage. Not like I have much of a choice.

"Borderline. But yeah."

"Then follow me. We need to get away fast. Ochre Quarry is to the west of here. It should give us enough cover to stay hidden."

"Alright. Lead on."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

Well... One thing I learned. When spending a long time alone with Hydreigon, no matter how tempting it may be, **do not make small talk with him.** He. Will. Never. Shut. Up. It's so hard to remain calm with him constantly rambling on about whatever random thing pops into his head(s).

Regardless of my annoyances, progress has been slow. Mostly because of my wounds. We camp out in a secure location for the night and head off into the Withered Savannah the next morning. Salamence apparently decides to stop his pursuit when we enter the mystery dungeon .

"Why did he turn back?" I ask Hydreigon. "Is the Withered Savannah that dangerous?"

"Not really." He answers. "It's perplexing..."

"I guess, as an old earth saying goes, don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

"...what's a gift horse?"

"Never mind." Just as soon as I finish that thought, we are ambushed. The two Excadrill of Munna's gang burrow up from underneath the ground ahead of us.

"Well, look who it is." One of them says in a taunting tone. "I would have thought you would have bled out by now, human."

"Ok... First off, the name's Alex. Second off, you really want to mess with me when I have a dragon protecting me?"

"Which is why we aren't here to fight. Rather, we're here to give you a piece of information you're bound to find interesting."

"And that is..."

"Your Pikachu friend? Thunder? Well... We caught him. He's ours now. And he's probably not going to live for much longer."


	29. A Friend in Need

My expression and mindset changes from shock and horror to anger. "You filthy little... You had better tunnel right back to Munna and tell her to let him go or-"

"Or what?" One of the Excadrill chuckles, mockingly. "You gonna bleed on us until we drop dead?" I let out an involuntary angry hiss. Guess that's from me being a snake-like being. "If you care about him so much, 'hero,' you should go to the top of Holehills and rescue him."

"Not that you'll get very far." The other replies. "My claws make sure of that. See you there, 'Alex.'" And with that they burrow back into the ground. Presumably back to Holehills.

"What sort of morons do they take us for?" Hydreigon chuckles. "It's such a transparent trap. They can't possibly think we'll fall for that. Come on Alex." Hydreigon continues forward. However, I stay where I am. I can feel myself fuming with rage. How could they do that to him?! Keep him tied up and and use him as bait for his best friend?! I cannot let them get away with this.

"Hydreigon..." I start.

"Hm?" He turns around.

"...I'm going after him."

All three of his heads stare at me in disbelief. "You can't be serious..."

"I'm dead serious."

"It's so very clearly a trap! When you get there they'll kill you!"

"And if I don't do anything they'll kill him! I can't let that happen!"

"Alex, let it go. He's a lost cause. We can't do anything for him now."

"You're wrong!" I yell, "I don't care if it's a trap! Thunder is my friend! And I owe him my life! He was there when I fell to Pokèmar! The first Pokemon I met! And he took me in. He gave me a place to stay, a source of income to pay for necessities, and someone to confide in. Without Thunder I would probably be lying dead in some mystery dungeon! Killed by some random outlaw! If you think that I'm just going to leave the person who did so much for me, then you need to go get some actual sense." I take a moment to calm myself. "Sorry... That was... Uncalled for. But the point still stands. I physically cannot leave him to die. He means too much to me. And I'd never be able to forgive myself if I did. I hope you'll come, but I'm going, with or without you. And you're not changing my mind."

Hydreigon hesitates, unsure how to respond. "I would prefer to have you with me, though." I continue. "I mean, look at me. I'm in absolutely no condition to fight. If I go up alone I'm dead. Please... Come with me." I watch as Hydreigon contemplates his options. Meanwhile I'm questioning if this is truly the right thing to do. I am putting myself, and by extension the entire planet, at risk. But... No. I can't bring myself to abandon him. I care too much for him.

"...alright." Hydreigon says. "I guess it would be wrong to just abandon someone. I'm coming with"

"Thank you, Hydreigon. That means a lot to me."

"So, do we have a plan?"

"Well... 12% of a plan..."

"Only 12?"

"I kinda have to make this up as I go. Time is in short supply at the moment."

"You're making me really nervous here, Alex."

"Look, I'm sure by the time we get there I'll have a better idea of what we're going to do."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"You have any ideas, Alex?"

"For the tenth time, I'm working on it!" Man, he's nothing if not insistent. "I'm making progress, but you constantly asking is not helping."

"I'm just not keen on dying is all."

"Neither am I. Wait... What's that?" I point to a blue object lying on the ground. "Hold on, I recognize that... It's a frism!"

"What is this doing out in the open like this?"

"I don't know... We found some during our first trip to the great glacier-"

"Wait a minute! You were there?!"

"Yeah, but I had no idea it was the home of a life ending entity. Look, that's a subject for another time." I inspect it closer. "This isn't Thunder's frism though. The patters on the sides are all wrong. This is wavy lines and dots, not sawtooth edges... it's got a recording on it as well."

"Should we listen?"

"I don't see why not." I breathe over the ice that covers the top. Within seconds it melts and its recording begins to play.

In the recording I hear something hit the ground followed by Thunder grunting in pain.

"Get up." Toxicroak says.

"Munna... Why are you doing this? Alex and I have done nothing to you." Thunder's voice asks.

"Why do you keep on insisting on knowing?" Her voice says, annoyed. "I've already said, I'm not telling you. I'm not brain dead. If I told you and you somehow managed to escape, you'd have the necessary information to try and stop me. I'm not going to take that risk."

"Odds are that when Alex gets word of this you won't have the option to refuse."

"I highly doubt your 'Team New Hope' could do anything to stop us. But, I still am taking the necessary precautions. Purugly. Put him in the cage."

"With pleasure." And just like that, the recording ends.

"I think I know what they're doing." Hydreigon comments. "They're trying to work you up so that you'll be careless and ignore logical reasoning."

"Yeah?" I respond through another angry hiss. "Well they're doing a fricking good job of it!" I kick the frism in anger and watch it roll forward on the rocky terrain. "I swear, if she hurts him, I'm going to hit her so hard her head goes through her rear end!"

"Alex, calm yourself. Don't let them get to you. If we're going to do this, we need a level head."

I start taking a few deep breaths. I feel a fraction of my rage flow out with each breath. "Ok... I'm feeling better."

"Good. Now, we need that plan. Just waltzing right into their clutches will end badly." Wait a minute, hold up... Waltz right in... So... What if... Yeah... Yeah, that could work! "That smile..." Hydreigon says. "That's the smile of someone who just had an idea."

I chuckle slightly. "That's right. I know how we're going to attack this. And with a bit of luck it should work."

"Well, let's hope Ho-Oh looks fondly upon us."


	30. Springing the Trap

It was a long, exhausting hike, but I made it to the highest point of the aptly named Holehills. The place is peppered with openings. Some of which I think connect together to create tunnels. I stick to the random rocks and boulders scattered around, using them as cover to hide myself from whoever might be looking for me. Because they will undoubtedly be looking for me.

"You won't get away with this." I hear Thunder say. That means I must be close!

"Will you just shut up?!" Toxicroak yells. Frick. He's being guarded. Of course he's being guarded. I sneak a quick look. Apparently his cage is a small stone hut with bars over the entrance. Simple, but effective, apparently.

"Why should I? There's no reason for me to stop. I'll keep talking for as long as I'd like." There must be a way to distract Toxicroak long enough for me to bail Thunder out... What if I make a noise and lure him away? That might work. I pick up a sizable rock and toss it a short ways away.

"Look, you little runt, if you don't shut your mouth in the next ten seconds..." The sizable thunk of rock on rock interrupts his threat. "Huh? Who's there!" A second of silence passes, I don't come out because I need him to come to me.

"You'd better scram if you know what's good for you." He gets up and goes to investigate the source of the sound. Now's my chance! I leap up and coil my vines around his neck, nice and tight. Toxicroak struggles and does his best to get me off. But, miraculously, I hold on long enough for him to pass out and collapse. I take care to make sure he's not dead. He may want me dead, but that doesn't mean I should stoop to that level. I check for a heartbeat. After a bit of searching (Pokemon anatomy is quite different from human anatomy) I find part of the chest where I can feel the muscular organ pumping the blood through his body. He's alive. Good. Now for Thunder. I move as fast as my battered body will let me to Thunder's cage. Wait... He's... Still talking?

"Alex and the rest of New Hope is going to come for me. And when they do, you're gonna be the one in a cage."

"Thunder? It's me. Alex. I'm here to get you out." Somethings wrong... When I finally get close enough to see inside the cage, the reason becomes clear. That's not Thunder in the cage. That's a frism. A frism with his voice being rehashed. "...oh, fricking heck..." I realize too little too late that they have me right where they want me.

Sure enough, Munna comes out from her hiding spot to address me. As does the rest of her gang. "I overestimated you. I was concerned that you'd be far more cautious. Especially in your wounded state. But no... You just walked right in."

"Well, maybe that was the plan."

"Terrible plan. You know what happens next, right?"

"Yeah. This is the part where you let my friend go."

"And why should I do that?"

I can't help but smirk a little. "Oh, that'll be obvious very, very soon."

Her gaze immediately becomes suspicious. "So you know something that we don't? Care to share?"

"One word. Hydreigon." And with that, a roar echoes across the sky. The roar of my newest ally. "If I were you, I'd start running." Dragon beams start raining from the sky as my assailants scramble for some form of cover, giving me the perfect opportunity to free my friend. Though finding him is the tricky part. Well, as it turns out, it's not as hard as I first anticipated. I spot electric discharges coming from one of the nearby deeper holes. It's probably a safe bet that Thunder is trying to signal whoever is out there for help.

I rappel down the hole using my vines, landing a bit rough. I wince in pain. Dang it... I really need to be careful!

"Who's there? Are you friendly?" Thunder's hopeful voice echoes in the cavernous hole.

"Absolutely! Why wouldn't I be?"

"Alex?! You came back for me!"

"Of course I did! You're my friend. And friends stick by each other no matter how bad things get. Can you spark a bit? I can't see you, it's too dark down here." Almost immediately, a yellow light appears in the darkness. It's Thunder, tied up to a wooden post. "I'll get you out, don't worry." I rush to his side. When I get within radius of the light, Thunder stares at me in shock.

"Oh my Arceus, Alex! What happened to you?!" What is he... Oh. My injuries.

"It's a long story. I'll explain later." I quickly get to work, using my rather sharp leaf tail to slice open the ropes. "Going back up is not the best idea. I probably should have thought that through..."

"Follow me! When my eyes adjusted down here I saw that this hole goes right into a whole cave system. We can make our escape that way."

"You have the light, Thunder. Lead on."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"There's natural light ahead!" I exclaim. "We're almost out!" I'm forced to take back my words almost immediately. We were back in the open all right. But we were also at the edge of another cliff. "Well this is a déjà vu..."

"A what?" Before I can even begin to answer Thunder, I see our attackers behind us. Purugly, the Gigalith, and Salamence have cornered us

"Well, you didn't get very far, did you?" Purugly taunts. "Well, I applaud you for your mediocre effort. But this is where it ends." No... No, there's a way out of this... There's always a way out! Wait... No, that's suicide... Unless...

"Thunder, on my mark, we jump off the cliff."

"Alex?! Have you lost your mind?!"

"I'm beginning to wonder myself..."

"We'll break our necks from the fall!"

"Well they'll happily break them for us. But I need you to trust me, Thunder. This might be our last chance."

"Salamence," Purugly begins. I glance up briefly. Hydreigon is coming in for a dive bomb. He won't reach us in time though. But this may buy him a bit more time. "Kill them." Salamence begins inhaling,reading dragon breath.

"...Mark!" I quickly turn around and jump. Thankfully, Thunder does the same. And thankfully Hydreigon is clued into the plan as well. He quickly adjusts his heading to mid the cliff face and go straight for the two of us. His side mouths grab hold of the scruff of Thunder's neck and my "collar." He then quickly pulls up to a horizontal position. We are now flying away. I breathe a sigh of relief. "That... Actually worked... I can't believe that actually worked..."

"That's was quite the stunt you pulled." Hydreigon says. "For a second there I thought you had given up."

"Not yet I haven't."

"Uh, guys?" Thunder says nervously. "We've got company!"

"Company? What are you-oh frick!" It's clear what Thunder was referring to. Salamence is now airborne and in pursuit.


	31. Dogfight

"Hydreigon..." I say. "I think we're going to want some evasive maneuvers."

"Hydreigon?!" Thunder exclaims, shocked. "You mean this is-"

"Not the time, Thunder! I don't care what it takes, Hydreigon, shake him off our tail!"

"On it!" He replies. He banks left to dodge an incoming dragon beam, followed by a corkscrew dive underneath Salamence and doing a 180° turn back upwards. I'm beginning to regret saying that I don't care what it takes. But, I guess, if we loose Salamence it's worth enduring a few blackouts. The next few minutes consist of elaborate and complicated aerial maneuvers in an attempt to force Salamence to loose track off us. These maneuvers are so abrupt and sudden we leave pretty sizable vapor trails behind us. We weave through the Holehills, hugging the terrain while our attacker continues to try and get a shot off at us.

"He's not letting up!" Thunder calls out. "We need a new plan!"

"I've got something. You're not going to like it though." Hydreigon replies.

"What are you-" I don't have to finish that sentence. It's pretty clear what's happening. He's going into the network of holes in the terrain. "Oh sweet mother of mercy..." Flying at high speed in tight and confined spaces... Not ideal...

Hydreigon dodges and weaves through the cave networks, occasionally flying out to the surface for a moment to search for another network. Eventually, though, our luck runs out. We eventually come across a dead end hole. Thankfully Hydreigon has the reaction time to come to a full stop before we are splattered on the rock.

"Well, this is bad." Hydreigon muses. "How are we going to get out of this?"

"The only way we can." I reply. "We blast our way out. Hydreigon, fly back out the way we came. And the moment Salamence shows his face, we hit him as hard as you can.

"That includes me?" Thunder asks.

"And me. I learned a new trick while I was with Hydreigon." I generate a small green energy ball in my hand to show what I mean.

"Alright. I'm ready."

"Then it's now or never! Gun it, Hydreigon!" Hydrogen responds by accelerating towards the exit hole. Soon enough, Salamence enters through the same way. If this doesn't work we are screwed. "Now!" Hydreigon fires his dragon beam, Thunder lets loose a massive bolt of electricity, and I hurl several energy balls at the dragon target. He tanks the energy balls, but the dragon beam and thunderbolt hit hard, sending Salamence spiraling into the rocky terrain below.

"That's it!" Thunder exclaims gleefully. "We're free!"

"Yeah!" I whoop. "That's what I'm talking about!" Hydreigon glides out from the cavern, relieved to have lost the pursuer.

"So, do you guys have a home where we can work on planning?" He asks.

"Yeah." I reply. "Off a ways to the northeast. Near Post Town."

"Ok. I'm relying on you two for navigation."

"We'll do our best." Thunder said in reply.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"The end of the world?!" Thunder excaims in disbelief. "Are you serious?!" We're at the edge of the Scorching Desert (ok... Who's the bright son of a gun who gave it that name?). Thankfully though we reached it at night. So it's colder. Though maybe a bit _too_ cold.

"I'm afraid so. And it's very soon. That's the whole reason I was brought here."

"I... I just can't comprehend that... Everyone I know. Everyone I ever met and millions more. They'll all just... Die... Why would anyone do that?"

"Apparently it's been prophesied since time immemorial. Decreed by fate."

"So... Fate itself is against us... That's not good..."

"I never believed in fate. Some ethereal force plotting out our every move like pieces on a game board. I mean, if our only purpose is to reenact a prophecy, why give us the freedom of choice?" I notice that Hydreigon has set down, his jaws releasing our backs.

"I can't..." Hydreigon pants. "I can't fly any more... I'm too tired..."

"Well, you've been flying us this entire way for the whole time. I think it's only fair we walk the rest of the way. Thankfully it's only a few miles from here. We should be able to get back and rest up so we're ready to take on the Bittercold." Here's hoping we even stand a chance...

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"...I'm getting the feeling we're being watched..." I quietly announce.

"You sure it's not lack of sleep getting to you?" Hydreigon asks.

"No... I can't explain it but... Im positive someone's out there. And they're not friendly."

"Probably a bandit or something. Just ignore it we have more impo-" Hydreigon is immediately cut of by a roar. Standing in front of us was none other than the protector of the Bittercold himself, Kyurem. Using the moment of shock and surprise to his advantage he blasts Hydreigon with an ice beam, coating the three headed dragon in a thick layer of ice. Then with a powerful roar, he shatters the brittle ice statue. And Hydreigon. The scattered pieces of the Voice of Life fade and dissipate into colorful fragments of light that are whisper away in the wind.

"No!" I call out. "Hydreigon!" This can't be real... He was my only guide to finding out how to stop the Bittercold! And Kyurem just killed him! "No... He's..." Kyurem doesn't let me finish my sentence. I am blasted with a dragon pulse. As if my current wounded state wasn't bad enough. Now I'm a sitting duck.

"Alex!" Thunder cries out in fear and concern. And of course Kyurem doesn't stop there. I watch helplessly as the massive dragon looms over me. He raises his foot and brings it down on me. Hard. I swear I heard bones breaking. He's not content with just incapacitating me. He wants me dead. Another stomp. More agony. I can't ever cry out due to the extent of my injuries. "Kyurem! Stop! Don't kill him! Please!" I hear Thunder beg. Kyurem pays him no mind. He just continues to crush me under his foot. I can't endure this any longer... I feel my brain shutting down... This is it... This is how I die... And everything goes black...

 _Thunder_

He can't do this! Not to Alex! Not to his closest friend! It might already be too late... Alex may just be another kill for him... No... He cannot let that happen! "STOP!" Thunder gets between Kyurem and Alex, holding his arms outstretched as if to create a barrier. "Please!" Tears begin to flow from his eyes. "Don't kill him... He's my friend! The first person I can truly call a friend... He means everything to me... If you have to kill someone kill me! But please... Leave him alone..."

A tense silence follows. "You no longer wish to defy me." Kyurem finally says. "So I will stop. It hardly matters anyway. You will all perish in a matter of days. Go. Enjoy your last moments. But know that if you decide to defy me once again, I will devote every cell of my being to killing the both of you. And there will be no mercy from me. Now go." And with tI'm hat, Kyurem leaves. Thunder quickly runs to Alex's side to see if his beloved friend is still alive. But the evidence favors the darker outcome. Broken bones, blood flowing from many places, and absolutely no movement whatsoever.

"Alex come on. Get up." Nothing. "You can't be dead... You can't be... We still have to stop the Bittercold, remember?" Thunders voice is beginning to get choked up as the tears start falling once more. It's true, isn't it? Alex is dead. He's gone. But he can't be... "Alex! Please! Don't do this to me! I can't lose you! Alex! Please get up! Alex... I... I can't live without you... Please..." his pleas become sobs as he loses control of his emotions. He grabs hold of and embraces Alex, not caring about getting blood on his fur. Sobbing. He's truly gone, isn't he? He'll never see him again...


	32. Fleeting Hope

What... What happened? Is this... Is this what heaven feels like? Or hell? No... I can... Feel something pressed against my back... I have a sense of gravity... I'm lying down. My eyes are closed. I'm... I'm alive? I'm actually alive? I open my eyes and am immediately assaulted by the bright light of the outside world, prompting me to close them back up again. I let out a grunt in response to the mild pain my eyes experienced.

"Alex?!" I hear Thunder's voice call out from my side, sounding hopeful. "Please tell me that sound was you..."

"Thunder?" I open my eyes a sliver, trying to get myself acclimated to my surroundings.

"Alex! You're alive!" I immediately feel a furry mass contact me and wrap around me. "I was so worried... I thought you were dead..." His voice is cracking, he's on the verge of tears. I return the hugging gesture to comfort him.

"I thought the same thing myself. But I'm here now." Looking around I realize I recognize the room I'm in. Our room. We're back in Paradise. "Quick question. How did we get back to Pokemon Paradise?"

"Those little... Pieces... Of Hydreigon. The floating lights. They seem to have had a mind of their own. One of them apparently led Emolga and Dunsparce right to us." That's right... Hydreigon...

"Yeah... But with Hydreigon dead, I just don't know. We lost a valuable ally in this fight. Is it still possible?"

"Well we're going to find out. One way or another. I'm not just going to stand by as the world is destroyed. I hope you feel the same way."

"...you're right. Laying around moping won't do anything for us. We should update the team and begin drawing up an attack plan."

"You think you're well enough to move?" I walk around a bit to see how I'm doing.

"Still a little sore, but I can manage."

"Good. Let's hurry. Who knows how long we have left..."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

We gathered the team in Paradise Center to bring everyone up to speed. An uncomfortable silence falls across us as our words sink in.

"Judgement day..." Virizion says in a somber voice. "So you're saying everything will die in a matter of days..."

"Sadly, yes." I respond. "There has got to be a way to stop it..."

"...maybe we should just let it happen..." Umbreon says, causing the entire team to lock eyes on him.

"You're kidding, right, Umbreon?" Emolga asks, nervously.

"Think about it. This day has come because the world has grown dark. Evil is a prime force. Perhaps... Perhaps it's best that the slate is wiped clean."

"Besides..." Espeon interjects. "This is our fate. It was meant to be this way. Fighting against it will do nothing. There's no point." A somber atmosphere fills the air. Are they just... Giving up? Why?

"Guys, we're called New Hope for a reason." I say. "Shine as a beacon in the darkness, remember? This world needs that beacon. Now more than ever. If we give up, then the last hope for Pokèmar is snuffed out. We are quite possibly the only ones left who can even stand a chance at stopping this. And if it is all just futile at least we died knowing we did everything in our power to survive." Disturbingly, my words feel hollow. Without actual meaning behind them. Am I just spouting words that I don't truly believe? I feel tempted to just give in. No. Not now. It's too crucial a moment to throw in the towel.

"Hang on a minute... I have an idea." Thunder says. "The Bittercold feeds on negativity, right? So what if we remove negativity from the equation?"

"Thing is, that means we have to tell people about it." I say. "And that runs the risk of causing a panic. Or worse, anarchy. But every little boost we get makes success that much more reachable."

"...well... It's worth a try." Umbreon concedes.

"Then let's head to post town. Hopefully word will spread fast."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

This is a mistake. This is a serious mistake. I should have known. Fear is the natural response to a disaster of such scale. The reactions to the news are mixed. But none of them are what we need.

"Why fight it? It doesn't matter. We'll die anyway..."

"Why, Arceus?! Why are you dooming us to destruction?!"

"Well, we may as well make our last moments good ones. The rules don't matter anymore."

"Everyone! Please!" I yell. "We need to stay positive! The Bittercold will be weaker if it can't feed on negative emotions! It's our best chance to stop it! We-" the ground rumbles. Oh no... Is it starting?

"Look! The Great Glacier!" One of the residents call out. We rush to the hill to see what's happening. And the sight before us strikes fear into my heart. The Glacier Palace is... Flying. It has broken through the icy peak of the Great Glacier. And at the top spire there is a black and purple vortex, slowly expanding and getting larger. And it's actually moving towards us?! The sight of it fills me with dread. Are we too late? Has the end begun?

As to be expected with something like this, the town's reaction is to panic and flee. "Wait! No! Everyone calm down!" I call out. "We need to be strong! We... We... What's the use... They're never going to listen to us..." I lower my head in defeat. That's it... I can't do this... I can't bring myself to do it... The fate of the entire Pokemon race was put on my shoulders and I couldn't take it. Not against something as deadly as this.

"Alex... We can't just... Just..." Thunder tries to console me, but I can hear it in his voice. Despair. The absence of hope. If he of all people has lost faith, Pokèmar is truly doomed. I absent mindedly take off my badge and look it over. The Moltres. Or possibly the Phoenix. It's supposed to be a symbol of hope. But now it's about as meaningful as a sand grain on a beach.

"So much for new hope..." I say quietly to myself.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"So that's it, then..." Umbreon says, sadly. "We've lost before we even began..." We have gathered in Thunder's and my home to discuss the events. The sun has since gone down, adding to the dreary mood.

"...I can't believe it..." Emolga mutters. "We were supposed to help this world... But... Now everyone I know... Is just going to be wiped out... I hate feeling so helpless!"

"There's only one thing we can do. Wait. Wait for the end..." Virizion says. A deathly silence fills the room.

A knock on the door breaks the silence. "Guys? Are you in there?" Lillipup? What's he doing here? I get up and open the door.

"What is it?" I ask.

"I... I just wanted to say... **We** wanted to say... Sorry. We shouldn't have ran and panicked. It's just... Emotions were high. But now that we've calmed down, we realize that you are right. If there's even a sliver of a chance that we can survive, we should hold onto it."

"There is darkness in this world, yes." Gurrdur says from behind him. "But if there's one thing I learned, it's that it takes a few good people to reform the lost."

"There are still many innocent people here." Yet another voice says. This time it's Leavanny. "To wipe them out when they have done nothing wrong... We can't just let that happen." This was the last thing I expected. We actually have support? And at just we need it the most. I feel that spark. That optimistic side of me reignite. Without hesitation I grab it, fed it. Let it grow. There is still a chance. We will survive. And if we fail, we will die on our feet fighting. I turn to the rest of the team.

"We shine as a beacon in the darkness..." I begin repeating the mantra I came up with so very long ago.

"...give hope to those who have none..." Thunder chimes in, looking ready to fight.

"And protect those who cannot protect themselves!" I yell the next line. And in unison, we say the final words.

"We are Team New Hope!" We repeat it, again and again and again. Hyping ourselves up, energizing ourselves for the coming battle.

"Now," I say. "Let's figure out how we're going to stop this thing."


	33. The Battle For Survival

The rest of the night consisted of us planning out our attack. Time is of the essence. We cannot afford to waste any of it. Sadly, this means that sleep becomes a luxury. Here's hoping that the adrenaline keeps us awake and alert. The plan we came up with was this. Umbreon and Espeon would stay behind and do some last minute research on the Entercards. Unfortunately, the entry and exit points need a solid or liquid medium to travel through in order to make a connection. Simply put, it can't create dungeons that travel through the air. This puts another complication in our already fragile plan. But with any luck those two can find something before it's too late. Meanwhile, Emolga, Virizion, Thunder and I will go over to the Great Glacier and see if there is any other way up. If Umbreon and Espeon can't figure it out, we must. Dunsparce will stay behind in post town, working to keep the town motivated and positive. That positivity could easily mean the difference between success or failure. When and if we find a way inside we will split up into teams to reduce the chance of being caught. We will then make our way to the central spire and destroy the Bittercold once and for all.

The odds are stacked impossibly against us. But, with so much at stake, we will do everything in our power to survive.

"You ready, guys?" Umbreon asks, bringing me back to attention.

"Yes we are." I respond. "Open it up." Umbreon nods and sets the coordinates into the Magnagate generator. It isn't long before the gate itself flashes to life.

"Alright, everyone. You know the drill." I say as I step inside. Everyone else quickly follows suit.

"Good luck, you guys." Dunsparce says to us. "We'll be rooting for you."

"Don't worry about us. We'll get back home and celebrate our victory." Emolga says, confident. I wish I had his confidence right now... Soon the Magnagate closes, taking us to the artificial dungeon leading to the Great Glacier. I nearly forget to close my eyes during the ride. Now is not the time to get sick.

Within seconds, we arrive in the dungeon. Alright, everyone." I say. "Move fast and stay sharp. We may not have much time."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

The trip through the Magnagate dungeon takes very little time. It isn't long before we are ported to the Great Glacier. Still as jaw dropping as ever. Well, with the addition of the caldera that used to be a peak.

"Guess I get to see the Great Glacier after all." Emolga says, taking in the sights.

"Shame it's under such dark circumstances..." I say. "There's the Glacier Palace." I point to the giant ice castle floating overhead. It's moving relatively quickly. "We should try and get to it before it crosses the crevasse at the edge of the glacier. Otherwise we'll lose it."

"Alex, we have more immediate problems right now." Thunder says, nervously. Turning to the direction he's looking, I see what he's talking about. Salamence and the two Chandelure are headed right this way.

"Frick! Everyone! Spread out! Make yourself a harder target!" Thankfully we outnumber them. But I know from experience that Salamence won't hesitate to crush us in his jaws. And he's not going to be easily felled. "Concentrate on Salamence. He's the greater threat."

Emolga strikes first with thunderbolt. Salamence flinches, but doesn't stop. The Chandelure response by throwing fire. I quickly back away, as does Virizion. I open fire with an energy ball at one of them, disorienting them slightly. Using the opportunity, I rush in, grab hold of them with a vine and slam them into the ground. Thunder follows up with an electro ball and the Chandelure is out cold.

Emolga, meanwhile, has taken to the air, shrouding himself with a light screen which is keeping him safe from the majority of Salamence's strikes. "Hey guys! A little help?" He calls to us.

"On our way!" I call back. I reach into Thunder's bag and pull out a blast seed. Winding up, I prepare to toss it in Salamence's direction. With my aim on target, I let it loose. Unfortunately, the other Chandelure gets in the way, taking the brunt of the attack, consequently turning Salamence's attention my way. Not good.

I barely dodge his massive jaws, though they manage to nick my tail slightly. Virizion responds with a flurry of magic leaves. They unfortunately don't do much. The Chandelure is engaged with Thunder currently, unable to land a hit on my nimble friend. All he gets is a bolt of lightning to the face. And it isn't long until the Chandelure is defeated, leaving only the Salamence. But he's strong. And nothing we're doing can even dent him.

"We have to find a way to take him out!" Virizion says.

"I'm opening to suggestions." I respond. Suddenly, the area darkens. Catching us all off guard. Then from behind Salamence, a Magnagate opens, revealing I spot two figures inside. And I recognize them. Umbreon and Espeon. The reinforcements have arrived.

Without hesitation, Umbreon's forehead ring lights up and fires a yellow beam at Salamence, confuse ray. The target starts stumbling about as if they had one too many beers, unable to coordinate himself. Espeon follows up with a volley of psybeams, quickly incapacitating the target.

"Nice timing, guys." Thunder says.

"Glad to be of use," Umbreon responds. "because we have no way of getting up there. Our research found nothing." Frick...

"Well then what do we do?" Emolga asks. "There has to be a way up..." I start trying to come up with something when I feel a metal object hit me on the top of my head.

"Ow! What the-" looking up I spot small metal squares falling from the Glacier Palace. "The heck are these?" Picking up one to inspect it, I recognize similar features to another metal tile I've seen before. "Wait a minute... These are Entercards!"

"What?! Let me see that!" Espeon calls out is surprise. I show it to her and watch her eyes dart all over the metal device, scanning and analyzing. Suddenly, she gets a eureka moment. "Of course! Oh! How could I have been so stupid! It's so obvious!"

"What are you talking about?" Thunder asks, confused.

"That's how you make a dungeon across air! These things are made to move people across the air! And make it instantaneous as well!"

"So it makes it essentially a teleporter?" I respond. "What are upgraded Entercards doing on the Glacier Palace?"

"Let's not worry about the how." Emolga says. "We have them now, so let's use them."

"Right." Espeon responds. I can hear her mumble what sounds like mathematical values and equations. She must be trying to figure out how to place the Entercards. It doesn't take too long, thankfully, before she places the cards in their slots in the Magnagate generator. She then promptly activates the Magnagate. It... Looks exactly the same. But here's hoping it acts differently. "Ok, everyone. Pile in."

Everyone gathers into the gate. The outer rings slowly vanish and the moment of truth comes ever closer. Then it happens. We vanish along with the Magnagate, hopefully to our intended destination...


	34. Infiltration

As soon as I feel that familiar rush of wind indicating the Magnagate's closing up a second time, I open my eyes and am greeted to the familiar sight of the Glacier Palace. Ahead of us are three paths. If I remember correctly, the maze of corridors will lead us to the center spire, regardless of the path chosen. They all eventually lead there. My eyes quickly dart around the room, looking for anyone in case our entrance drew attention to us. No one. Good.

"Alright, everyone," I say with a whisper, not wanting to reveal our location. "This is where we split up. Smaller teams are harder to spot. Umbreon and Espeon, you head right. Emolga and Virizion, you go down the middle. Thunder and I will take the left. If nothing goes wrong, we will all rendezvous near the entrance to the center spire. Are we good?" Everyone gives me a nod in acknowledgment. "Good. Now let's go save the world." As instructed, Umbreon and Espeon head right, Emolga and Virizion go down the center, and me and my friend go left.

"It's sorta good to be back, isn't it?" Thunder whispers to me.

"Yeah, but also frightening at the same time. Considering what we're up against."

"I know exactly what you mean. But we've made it through here before, we can do it again."

I stop for a second. The floor... It's shaking... "Do you feel that?"

"Yeah... The Bittercold must be getting ready to do whatever it is it's going to."

"Then we'd better pick up the pace. I'd rather not have this go down to the wire."

 _Umbreon_

Umbreon and his sister stuck to the shadows, keeping out of sight of any potential dangers. The last thing anyone needed was for them to get careless and get the opposition on alert.

"Umbreon..." Espeon whispered. "I was... I was wondering... We have a plan to get back... Right?" His response was silence. He was afraid someone would ask that. At least it was his sister that did. "You don't have a plan, do you?"

"The Bittercold is the only thing keeping this thing in the sky. When it gets destroyed, this palace is going to crash into the surface... With us in it. There won't be time for an escape."

"So... This is a suicide mission..."

"Sadly, yes. But it's one that must be done."

"I know... It's just... I never really thought about what death will be like... Is there a spirit world like legend tells us? Or is it just... Nothing? The cessation of the mind?"

"Leave it to you to start a philosophical dilemma when we're deep inside hostile territory."

"Hey, I just like to analyze things. You know that."

"Yeah but this is not the time nor the place. Let's just focus on getting to our meet up point."

"I suppose you're right... Let's keep going."

 _Virizion_

So far, things have been uneventful. Thank goodness. Being spotted will make things astronomically harder.

"Hey... Virizion?" Emolga says quietly. "I know this isn't the best time, but... For all I know this could be the last chance for me to say this. ...I am sorry."

Virizion turns to look at the small rodent, surprised. Is he actually apologizing? "For what?"

"...for... For everything. Ever since you joined New Hope I've berated you, mocked you, and did everything I could to make you miserable. So... With complete honesty, I am sorry for what I did."

This completely blindsides Virizion. This was the last thing she expected from him. She takes a second to formulate a response. "...I forgive you. I'll admit, I made a very poor first impression. So I may have deserved some of what you threw my way."

"Thank you Virizion. Say, I've been noticing you spending a lot of time with Dunsparce. Are you two... You know... Doing love stuff?"

Virizion smirks, deciding to have a little fun with him. "Maybe we are. Why do you... Oh... I see. You're jealous."

Almost immediately Emolga's cheeks blush vibrantly. "N-No! That's red-d-iculous!"

"You sure? Because you look like you'd love to have some of me."

"Shut up! Virizion! I-" Emolga quickly covers his mouth, realizing just how loud he's been talking. "Oooohhh... I sure hope nobody heard that..."

Then comes the one thing they didn't want to hear, an unfamiliar and threatening voice. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but we heard you loud and clear."

 _Alex_

"Thunder... Quiet for a moment..." Thunder stops moving in response, perking his ears up like antennae, trying to pick up nearby sounds. I listen intently, trying to make out the sound. I hear... Voices... Other sounds... "You can hear better than me. What do you make of it?"

"Fighting. Definitely fighting. I think one of our groups got found."

"Only one thing to do, then. Bail them out. Let's hurry."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

"I see them. Straight ahead!" I tell Thunder.

"Who are we up against?"

"I see Purugly and six Excadrill. All surrounding Emolga and Virizion. How many Excadrill do they need?! Seriously!"

"Well, they won't last much longer. Let's do this!" Thunder's cheeks begin sparking before discharging a one of the Excadrill. The strike turns all eyes on us.

"You're late to the party guys." Emolga jokes.

"Better late than never." I reply.

The Excadrill Rush us, claws bared. Thunder continues zapping them as I launch a leaf tornado at them. Two of them go down from our initial attack alone. Good old type advantage. Plus maybe a bit of karma. I haven't forgotten that stab wound.

"How have you two been unable to beat these guys before we got here? You've got type advantage like us." I ask Emolga as I toss an attacker with my vines.

"Hey! They had the element of surprise! We were ambushed!" He responds.

"How about less talking and more fighting." Virizion interjects as another Excadrill tries to dig up underneath her. Unfortunately for it, Virizion responds with a swift stomp of her hoof on its face. Needless to say, that one's not going to cause us any more trouble. And neither are the rest of them, really. When the dust settles, I take a head count. The four of us, all practically unscathed, six unconscious Excadrill, and...

"Wait a minute, where's the Purugly?" Emolga asks. Indeed, there was no Purugly to bee seen. And I don't actually remember seeing anyone attack him.

"I think he retreated when Alex and Thunder arrived." Virizion concludes.

"Oh, that's just great..." I mumble. "Now he'll go and tell the others that we got in. So much for stealth."

"Don't look at me." Emolga says, defensively. "I had no idea anyone was there."

"Perhaps a quieter voice would work better next time." Virizion says, slightly smug.

"You were the one teasing me!"

"Look, we can play the blame game later." I say. "For now, the four of us should stick together. Now that we've been spotted, we should stick together. Make it easier to hold out against attacks."

"Sounds good." Thunder agrees. "Now let's get moving."


	35. Motives

_Umbreon_

The palace shakes again. Stronger this time. Enough that dust is falling from the celling. At this rate these tremors will soon tear apart the entire palace.

"I hope we end this soon." Espeon says, observing the falling debris. "Our time appears to be extremely limited."

"It's like Alex said. We're going to fight to our last breaths. And I agree with him. Better to die on our feet than to surrender to our doom." Something catches Umbreon's eye. Ahead was a room. One with a barred door and windows. "Well, now. What's this? A cell?"

"Umbreon... I'm picking up a consciousness in there. There's someone inside."

"Friendly?"

"Can't tell without probing. And they'd likely feel me poking around."

"Let me get a closer look. Then I can try and gauge their willingness to help." Umbreon cautiously approaches the cell, peaking in when he is close enough. What he sees inside catches him completely off guard. Holy mother of Arceus! Espeon! Come here! You're not going to believe who this is!"

 _Alex_

"Munna... I had a feeling we'd be seeing each other again... Especially when Purugly got away." I say to my attacker. It didn't actually take long at all for her to take us on. Surprisingly, she opted for a direct strategy offer an ambush. Though with fate backing you up it makes sense that you'd be a little careless. She has brought along Toxicroak, a Chandelure and four Gigalith to aid her in the fight. They have the superior numbers and a greater type variety than the prior encounters. We'll need to play this smart to succeed.

"Yes. I must stop you four here. I just don't get it. Can't you see? This planet is beyond saving. The world is just too broken."

"You use that to justify the murder of billions?" I say to try to get them to see our side. "Killing everyone won't solve the problem. Who says the next civilization the legendaries make won't follow the same path? What then? Kill them all as well? You can't just blow the world's problems up and expect that more won't appear later."

"With guidance it can. Stricter guidance. Enough talk. I say we put an end to this once and for all."

"So be it... Alright, New Hope! Time to show them where we got our name from!" We ready ourselves for a grueling fight. Here's hoping we can conserve enough energy for our final fight with the Bittercold.

Munna is first to strike, hitting me with a psybeam. A decent hit, but not enough to put me down. "Spread out!" The team scatters, picking their targets and wailing on them with every move they have. Meanwhile Munna sets her sights right on me. I reach out with my vines to grab her, only for her to psychically knock them away. Seriously? She gets telekinesis? That's hardly fair. She fires another beam at me. This time I manage to dodge it and counter with an energy ball, throwing her backwards. Taking the advantage I try to hit her with a leaf tornado, only to be blasted back from her psychic move, slamming into the back wall and causing some ice to fall off the wall.

"Is that all you got, Alex?" She taunts. "I expected more from you."

"I've got a few tricks up my sleeve still..." In a swift motion, I grab a chunk of ice with a vine and swing it at her like a club. I could tell that hurt from the impact alone. The strike has left her dazed, trying to reorient her senses after the strike. But I don't let up. I start slinging ice at her, continuing to deal damage to her. Eventually, though, she gains the upper hand, grabbing them with psychic and winging them right back at me. The stones pummel me, hitting hart and fast. One of them hits me right in the side of the head, causing me to blank out for a second and fall over. I can feel pain surge through my head. Instinctively reaching for the impact point with my hang I feel a liquid trickling from the wound. Blood.

"I'll admit," Munna says, hovering over me. "You nearly had me there. But you can only hold out against fate for so long. Goodbye, Alex." I ready to counterattack, but I'm never given the chance. The room darkens and a familiar mystical sound echoes through the room. A Magnagate. I think reinforcements are on their way. Sure enough the portal opens in the northwest corner of the room. When the spectacle dies down, I am surprised by the sight of three figures. Umbreon, Espeon, and...

"Keldeo?!" Virizion calls out in suprise. "Is that you?!" Keldeo appears to be badly wounded. With blood caked onto his cream colored fur.

While Virizion is transfixed with the appearance of her former friend, Umbreon and Espeon waste no time jumping into the fray. Umbreon shadow balls Toxicroak and a Gigalith while Espeon hits the Chandelure with confusion. The extra firepower turns the tides in our favor. Soon, Toxicroak falls, followed by the Chandelure and the Gigalith. Soon, only Munna is left.

"I don't understand..." She says to us. "Why do you want to save this evil world?"

"Because there's good in it still. And we fight to protect that." Is my response.

"You know... I used to think like that too. That the light will always win. But... Soon the truth became clear. We are powerless to stop the darkness... A lesson I learned when my mother was killed... Since then I've watched as people got worse and worse. The light of the world getting dimmer by the day. Then Kyurem came to me and my friends here. Told us about the Bittercold. How it will cleanse everything. End the suffering. All the evil is destroyed and the victims need not suffer any longer." So that's why she was fighting us. To put an end to the suffering of everyone she cares for, by killing them... It's a dark path to go down...

The palace rumbles again. It's starting to feel like we're in an earthquake. "Munna..." Thunder says softly. "I understand... You want it to end. But this isn't the way to do it. We have experienced some of the evil firsthand. Gurdurr. A former carpenter who saw his work torn down. Resorting to scams to live when he couldn't bring himself to build. We helped him. We brought him back to his old ways.

"All it takes is one spark, one group to begin a change. That's what we've been doing. Changing lives for the better and bringing the fallen to the light. Like Alex said, we fight for those who need it the most. And we will show you that we can save this world. Not just from the Bittercold, but from itself as well."

Munna looks at us, a slight glint of hope in her eyes. "You truly believe you can make a difference..." Another quake. This one is particularly violent. A massive piece of one of the walls sheers free, heading straight Thunder and me! There's no time for us to react. We're going to be crushed!

Without warning, something slams into the both of us, knocking us over to safety. We slowly get back up as the massive chunk of ice carves its way through the floor mere inches in front of us. When the dust settles the room has been effectively split in two. Thunder and myself on the far side, everyone else on the other.

"What... Just happened?" I say, confused.

"Look! Down there!" Thunder exclaims, pointing into the newly formed chasm. And at the bottom was Munna, trapped under a huge pile of rubble.

"She... Saved our lives... She pushed us out of the way... Is she alive?"

"I don't know... But we can't stay. Let's let her sacrifice mean something."

"...You're right, Thunder. We need to hurry."

"Good luck you two!" Virizion calls to us.

"Go save the world for us, will ya?" Emolga adds.

"Will do, guys. Come on, Thunder. We're almost there." And thank you, Munna... Sincerely, thank you. Here's hoping we'll see you alive after this is all over...


	36. Kyurem

We can't be far now. The Bittercold must be close. Especially if Thunder's breathing troubles are anything to go by. With every step we take, his breaths become louder and longer, trying harder and harder to get air into his lungs.

"I'm... I'm feeling light... Headed..." Thunder says as he begins to stumble. It appears that the lack of oxygen is getting to him. I reach out and steady him until he gets his balance back.

"Easy there, Thunder. It's probably best you head back. I can handle myself."

"I'm not... Leaving you."

"Thunder, come on. You can barely stand. If you keep going you're going to suffocate."

"I can walk... on all fours just as... well as... on two legs. I'll be fine."

"Thunder, I'm not about to lose you. Please, just go back with the others."

"Alex, I'm your friend. And... As a friend... I will not... Leave you... While you put yourself in... Danger. Friends stand by each other... No matter what." Well, it's becoming clear that I'm not about to change his mind. I don't want to risk him dying, but we have no time for arguments. I'll just have to accept it.

"If you're sure... Just don't push yourself too hard."

"I won't. Come on, Alex... Let's finish this."

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

Ok. I'm impressed. Thunder is pushing through like a champ. Apparently he's rationing his breaths to make each one count. He even looks combat ready. Though hopefully that won't be necessary.

"Alex. Look." Thunder says, pointing at the archway on the other end of the room. Wisps of purple tinged air are being pulled into the room on the other side. That has to be it. That must be the Bittercold.

"Looks like it's a straight shot from here. Come on!"

"I'm afraid you are mistaken, human." A familiar voice echoes from the other room. And from that room emerges the intimidating form of Kyurem. "I must admit. I am impressed you have made it this far. But your little misguided crusade ends here."

"You're the one that's misguided, Kyurem." I respond. "Killing everyone will not solve the problem. It will just happen again with the next civilization you create. What this world needs is someone to lead by example."

"I cannot change fate. The destruction of the Pokemon race cannot be prevented. And yet..." Kyurem's voice becomes unsure, questioning. "Your 'New Hope' has made incredible strides towards doing just that. If you can defeat me, then it's likely you deserve to finish what you started. So prove yourselves!" He ends his statement with a roar, challenging us to defeat him.

"Ok, Thunder, here's the plan. He overpowers us in terms of brute strength, so we need to use our Speer to survive. Hit and run tactics. You up for that?"

"I think I can handle that. Let's do this." Thunder takes off, hitting the giant dragon with bolts of electricity. In response, Kyurem tries to take out the electric rodent with ice beam, bringing the powerful blast to bear on him. Thunder's tail gets caught in the beam and freezes solid, weighing him down significantly. Using the opportunity, Kyurem lunges at his now slower target, ready to crush him in his powerful jaws. However, he neglected to take care of me first. So I launched a volley of razorleaves at him like throwing knives, the impacts doing just enough to cause him to miss and bite into the ice instead of my friend. Thunder takes the moment and thwacks Kyurem with his frozen tail, breaking the icy coating.

Kyurem lets go of the wall, looking at us with curiosity. "So you can adopt new tactics at a moment's notice... Impressive. But not enough." He lets loose a dragon beam, narrowly missing me and most certainly getting my heart racing. I retaliate with leaf tornado. Which goads him into charging me. I try to dodge, but he ends up biting down onto my leaf tail. I let out a yelp of pain in response. Fortunately there is apparently less nerve endings there because being bit like that at full force should hurt **a lot** more. With my tail securely in his jaws, he begins throwing his head back and forth, thrashing me about. I try to do something to stop it, but all I can really do is flail helplessly, completely at his mercy... Unless...

I reach out my vines, trying to feel around for my objective. Eventually I find it, the neck. I wrap around, nice and tight, trying to force him to let me go. It appears to work. He spits my tail out, throwing me against the ground. Thunder, recognizing my dizzy and disoriented state, protects me until I reorient myself enough to be able to fight again.

For the most part, our attacks seem about as effective as a puppy nipping their owner. Enough to make him flinch, but far from enough to cause serious damage. If we want to succeed, we need to do some serious damage. Fast. There must be some way to make him vulnerable... What if... That might work...

"Thunder, I have an idea. But I need you to draw his attention away from me. Can you do that?"

"I'll most certainly try." Thunder breaks away, launching an electro ball right at the face of our enemy. And that most certainly did the job. He is now after Thunder. Right... I don't have a huge margin of error for this... He's going to feel it the moment I make contact and I'm not about to end up under his foot again. With a deep breath I put the plan into motion, sprinting between his legs. I reach out with a vine and grab hold of a leg. Almost immediately Kyurem feels my vine and turns his attention to me. No turning back now. I dart around the outside of the leg then go for the other one, trying to tie him up with my vines. As expected he raises his foot up and attempts to flatten me. I sidestep the attack and continue my plan. I loop around the second leg and make my way back to the first one. I have now ensnared him. I pull my vines tight, causing him to trip and fall flat on the ice.

"Now, Thunder!" I call to my friend, who ramps up his volt tackle and slams into Kyurem. The two of them take some heavy damage from the impact. However, Kyurem is still a threat. But that will change soon. I spot that our team badges are glowing with green energy. The team attack is ready. "Alright, Thunder... Let's finish this. TEAM..." The light in Thunder's badge jumps over to mine as I holt it up in the air, ready to be unleashed. With a somewhat anime-esque flourish, I prepare to unleash the finishing blow. "...ATTACK!" I hold the badge out in front of me as a beam of green light strikes Kyurem. The blast throws the massive dragon backwards until the beam subsides, leaving Kyurem to collapse to the floor in defeat.


	37. The Bittercold

"Incredible..." Kyurem says, unable to get up. "You actually defeated me." I notice a faint black smoke rise from his body. It's almost like his skin is getting lighter in color, the darkness evaporating away. What is that? "Then... You two may very well be the ones to lead the world into a brighter age. So go. Destroy the Bittercold. And restore peace to this world."

"We will. Thank you, Kyurem." Thunder responds.

"Farewell, New Hope. And may Arceus watch over you." With that, we press onward. It's time to finish what we came to do...

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾔ? ﾟﾕﾘ?

A few more stairwells later and we finally reach the very top of the central spire. And when we reach the top of the final stairwell, we are greeted to an astounding sight. We inside the vortex that spiraling above the spire. And there, in the center of it, hovering above the ledge in front of us, was a massive, icy snowflake-like thing. The spikes protruding from the six sides could easily fit Thunder or I inside assuming they were hollow. This must be the Bittercold. The entity capable of global extinction. It's time to rid this world of it.

I thump on the ground behind me grabs me attention. Thunder has collapsed. He's come as far as he physically can. I run to his side, trying to get him on his feat

"A-A... Lex... Jus...t g...o..." He barely manages to croak out. "Sto...p the... Bi...itterc... Old..." He's right. There's no time. Besides, if I destroy it, he'll be fine.

"I will Thunder." I tell him. I turn my attention to the menacing entity ahead of me, making my way towards it. "Alright, big guy. You want to commit global genocide? Well I'm here to put an end to- Agh!" All of a sudden I feel a powerful force clutch my chest, squeezing the air out of my lungs. Disoriented, I stumble back, and the force dissipates. How?! Hydreigon told me I was immune! Why am I affected now all of a sudden? I try to dash my way in, seeing if I can't get closer. And I immediately regret that rash action. Not I'm trapped in the suffocation range. Every breath feels like a battle in and of itself. I can't fight the Bittercold like this... I can't...

" _Don't stop!_ " Huh? What was that? What was that voice?

" _Don't give up!_ " Another voice?

" _Hold strong in there! You can do this!_ " Umbreon? Wait... These...

" _Keep it up!_ " " _We're counting on you!_ " " _You can win this!_ " " _You're so close! Don't give in!_ " It's everyone... Friends, neighbor's, and even complete strangers. Their voices echo through the storm. And they are weakening the Bittercold. The painful grip is gone. I can breathe again. And I'm pretty sure that the Bittercold is outraged by this.

"Heh... You seriously think we wouldn't retaliate?" I say, feeling a confidence boost. "When you back someone in a corner, they're going to lash out. And you put us deep into that corner. Now, let's end this!" I send out a volley of razorleaves at it, only for them to bounce off. What? Guess I'll try something else. Leaf tornado! ...nothing... Vine whip? Nothing. Wrap? Nothing! A fricking blast seed? Absolutely nothing! How is it soaking up all my attacks! Am... Am I simply not strong enough?

The moment that thought enters my mind, the force grabs hold once more. And I can feel the Bittercold's smugness emanating from it. No! I'm not going to give up! I'll fight to my last breath!

 _Dunsparce_

Not good... Not good at all. One person had expressed doubt as to if this will even work. And that doubt has spread like wildfire. Slowly the cheers vanish and give way to looks of uncertainty and fear. The vortex above the palace is growing larger and larger. It won't be long until it overshadows Post Town. Will that be the end? Or will it just keep growing until it swallows the planet whole? Maybe... Maybe it is hopeless... Maybe there's truly nothing we can do...

 _Alex_

The voices are gone... There's nothing... I can't move, there's no support from the outside... That's it. We've lost. We can't win... It's over... I can feel the deadly force grow stronger by the second. Soon it will unleash and wipe out everyone... And there's not a bleeping thing I can do to stop it. We're all going to die here...

"A... Alex..." Thunder? "You... Ca...n d...o this... I b...el...ieve in y...ou..." Seriously?! With no possible way to win, he still feels like we can do this. He still believes... If he can hold strong in such an impossible situation... Then... I should be able to as well... After all... We call ourselves New Hope for a reason...

"We... Shine... As a... Beacon... In the darkness..." I say, forcing myself to stand up, using every ounce of energy in my body to just stay upright. "Give hope... To those who... Have none!" I strike the center with my fist. And to my surprise, it cracked. It cracked! I damaged it! "And protect those who cannot protect themselves!" Another punch and the crack grows. I can do this! I have the will and the strength to triumph! "WE ARE TEAM NEW HOPE!" A third punch and the outer shell cracks, revealing a red, pulsing ice core. It's heart.

For a split second, the vortex dissipates. Revealing colorful rings in the sky. Wait... Rainbows... Those are rainbows! The Rainbows of Hope! That's what happened to them! They were smothered by the darkness of the Bittercold! Of course the dark vortex returns, obscuring the sight once again. But it was enough. The voices return. Stronger and more powerful than ever. The tides have turned in our favor. I can feel the fear the Bittercold emits. It knows that it's lost. Without another word, I start attacking. Relentlessly. Doing as much damage as I possibly can. Watching the core sustain more and more damage until... It happens. The core can't keep itself together. It shatters. And more cracks spread across its icy form. And in a flash of light, it explodes, sending pieces of ice everywhere.

The vortex vanishes. Permanently this time. The rainbows take their rightful place center stage in the sky. But something feels wrong. Well, the reason for that becomes apparent very fast. The Bittercold was the only thing holding this palace in the sky. Now without it, gravity take hold. I watch the palace fall away beneath me as we plummet at terminal velocity towards the surface. So... I came into this world from the sky, it seems I'll leave the world of the living the same way. With nothing left to do, I wait as the ground grows closer and closer, counting down the seconds until impact. 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... I feel the pain of the impact, then...

Nothing...


	38. Home Again

...White... Only white... That's all I see. Absolutely nothing but a white void all around me. Where am I?

"Alex?" I hear Thunder say from behind me. "Are you there?"

"I'm here, Thunder." I respond. "What do you make of this?"

"...I think this is the Spirit World...*

"You mean, the afterlife?"

"Yeah... I think we died..."

" _Not exactly._ " A soft, feminine voice calls from all around.

"Huh?! Who's that?!" I call out in surprise.

" _I am called Xerneas, the legendary Pokemon of life. And I owe you all a great debt._ " Suddenly, a blue and black deer appears with multicolored gems on their massive antlers. I think it's safe to assume this is Xerneas. " _You saved the lives of everyone on Pokèmar. The life that I care so deeply for. And to show my gratitude, I have taken your spirits to the border of life and death instead of letting them ascend to the Spirit World. I will restore your bodies to perfect health and return your souls to their vessels to live out the remainder of their years._ "

"What about the others in the palace?" Thunder asks.

" _Do you wish for me to revive them as well?_ "

"Yes. All of them. Please. Well, if that's not too much trouble."

" _No, no trouble at all. I shall revive the rest who perished in the palace. Now go. Lead prosperous lives._ "

"We will." I respond. "Thank you, Xerneas."

I begin to feel a dizzying sensation before losing consciousness. I can only assume that's her reviving us. That's another entry to the list of things I never expected to happen to me.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

I begin to feel myself come to. My body feels... Good. No pain, no aches, it's in perfect health. Just as Xerneas promised. Looking around I identify where I am. The crossroads between Post Town and Pokemon Paradise. And right next to me was none other than my good friend Thunder.

"How're you feeling, Thunder?" I ask.

"I'm feeling good. So... We won?" He asks in response.

"What... Happened?" A confused Emolga asks from behind us.

"Long story short, we were all revived by Xerneas and apparently pulled from the palace." I respond. "And judging by the Rainbows of Hope on the horizon, I'd say we succeeded in defeating the Bittercold.

"What about Munna and the gang?"

"I think it's safe to assume they were rescued as well. Here's hoping they can go back to their old lives."

"That's all well and good, but there's still a question to be answered." Virizion adds. "Keldeo, what were you doing in the palace?"

"Oh man... Where to start... Well... I was doing research on the great glacier, you remember? We planed on going there at some point so I was reading up on it. And I came across some very frightening and disturbing prophecies about it and how it would be the staging ground for judgement day. So naturally I dug deeper. I realized that something needed to be done. But Virizion... I couldn't drag you into such a dangerous situation... So... I did the only thing I could... I cut you out."

"So that letter..."

"...was meant to protect you. I knew you'd try and find me. And so I had to... Dissuade... You from doing so. You have no idea how hard it was to write that... It physically hurt me to do so. But I did it for you. So, from the information I got from you two during our meeting," he gestures to Umbreon and Espeon. "I reverse engineered your Entercards and improved them. That's what I used to get there. Unfortunately I was captured by Kyurem and locked in a cell before I could do anything. The the many, many days I was there I used whatever was handy to create another set of Entercards."

"Wait, hold up." I interrupt. "You're telling me that from scraps of materials in a holding cell you created functional copies of Entercards?"

"Trust me. With enough ingenuity, you can create almost anything with your environment. Anyways, shortly after the palace took flight, I could see you all down below me. And I saw a Magnagate open. So I know that whoever you were you had Entercard tech. So I did what I considered the next logical step: send my Entercards down to you so you could infiltrate the palace, free me, and finish what I tried to do."

"So that was you... Well... We owe you the entire mission." I say. "Without those Entercards, we would have never gotten up there. So on behalf of all of Pokèmar, thank you. It's... So strange... Actually... Everything fit so perfectly into place... As if... Something or someone was guiding us..."

"Alex, I think you're reading too much into this." Thunder tells me.

"Yeah. You're probably right. Anyways, I think this occasion warrens a celebration! We party like there's no tomorrow because there **is** a tomorrow! ...Wow that sounded so much better in my head." Well, I got a few laughs out of that at least.

? ﾟﾕﾒ? ﾟﾕﾖ? ﾟﾕﾛ

That's another question to scratch off the list. It seems the Pokèmar does, in fact, have alcoholic beverages. Though they don't have that high of an alcohol content as far as I can tell. Because otherwise the entire party would be drunk. So there's that. Anyways, Swanna's Inn is packed. Everyone celebrating and enjoying themselves, knowing that today is far from their last. All that energy feels a bit much for me to handle. So I ask to go out and get some fresh air. And indeed, the cool night breeze does help to clear my senses. I can finally hear myself think.

Today was a fricking insane day. We just fought a legendary Pokemon, won, and prevented the end of the world. The thought of it alone makes me feel tired. And to think, not that long ago I was a confused, panicked mess falling from the sky. How things have changed. I've made a name for myself here. I fell like I belong here. That I'm one of them. And I love it. This is a life I can be satisfied with. When I inevitably find myself on my deathbed decades from now, I can say with certainty that I truly had a life worth living.

"Alex!" My thoughts are interrupted by a voice. A... Familiar voice...

"Hydreigon!? You there?" I call out. Turning around I see the ghostly form of Hydreigon. Like he had faded away partially.

"It's good to see you again, Alex. I managed to conjure up an incomplete physical form, but I can only maintain it for a few days before I have to recharge for a few years."

"This is amazing! You're alive! Come on! We should tell the others!"

"Alex..." His voice turns somber. "I have some bad news to tell you..."

My smile immediately fades, wondering what he means. "And what's that?"

"You can't stay here. I have to bring you back to earth. You see, the physical laws of the universe dictate that it is impossible for a human to live on Pokèmar. To bring you and everyone else in, I had to warp the rules a little. As a result, if you stay here, space and time will unravel. The Pokemon universe will be destroyed." My heart sinks. I have to leave this life behind? And Thunder... He's like a brother to me... But... The consequences are severe. I cannot stay. Not if I want to keep this world safe. I let out a saddened sigh.

"If there's no other option... Then I will. I guess I'll say goodbye to everyone tomorrow. No reason to dampen the festivities tonight."

"There's another thing... And this one's more my fault. You see, the way I brought you here. Through your dreams. If I send you back the same way... No one here will remember you even existed. You will be wiped from everyone's memories." That was a complete shock to my system. So not only do I need to leave Pokèmar behind, but the impact that I had on so many... Gone... The thought that my own friends would forget me... Why? Why does it have to be like this?

"You can't bend the rules a bit more?"

He shakes his center head. "I'm sorry, Alex. Not without risking disaster."

"...then I guess I won't tell them... It would be just pointless pain for them. ...I guess I'll meet you on the hill tomorrow morning. I'll... Wrapt things up on my end..."

"Alright Alex. And I'm truly sorry. I really wish there was another way." My heart feels heavy with this realization. How do I describe the feeling that come up when you learn that those you love won't even know your name? Won't remember everything the did with you? The joys, the sorrows, they won't remember any of it... But, like Hydreigon said, there's no other way... This must be done. ...I'm so sorry, Thunder...


	39. An Unsung Hero

The morning sun has risen. The time has come... I must leave this world behind. And everyone in it. A part of me is temped to say "screw it. I'm staying." But I know what will happen if I do that... I look to the other end of the room. Thunder lies in bed. Still asleep.

"Hey, Thunder." I say quietly. Not wanting to wake him up. "I know you can't hear me, but it makes me feel better to do this at least. It wouldn't matter anyways... You wouldn't remember.." I start feeling choked up. Thunder has been my friend and companion from day one. To leave him behind... It feels like I'm losing a part of myself.

"Before I go... I... I wanted you to know how grateful I am to have met you. We have a bond that has endured everything this world has thrown at us. I'm going to miss you. Dearly." I pause to gather my thoughts. I reach for the table and grab my team badge and bandana. "I want you to keep this" I say as I gently slide it under his hand. "I guess I just want to leave something tangible behind... Alright... I've stalled long enough..." I get up and walk slowly to the door. I take a look back, knowing that this room will be etched in my memory for years to come. I fight to stop the tears from falling. No. Not now. There will be a time for crying later... "Goodbye, Thunder. I'm going to miss you." With those final words, I close the door.

Thunder

With Alex gone, Thunder let's the tears loose. He had in fact been awake. He heard everything. And he already knew what he was talking about. As much as he hated to see his partner leave, he knew it was for the best. "Goodbye, Alex..." He says to the closed door, holding Alex's team badge tight.

Alex

Walking through Paradise brings back many memories. Building the house with Gurdurr. Getting our team badges. Watching the town grow. Things that I wouldn't have imagined in my wildest dreams. All in all, I'm glad I came to this world. It's an experience I won't soon forget.

It doesn't take long until I reach the hill in post town. Hydreigon's partially physical form is there waiting for me.

"Are you ready, Alex?" He asks me.

"As ready as I can be." I respond. "But before we go, I have a question. We usurped fate when we beat the Bittercold, right? So... Is it possible with that same force of will to keep remembering me?"

"...I'm sorry... But that is determined by strict physical laws. Just as nothing can surpass the speed of light, they cannot hold on to their memories. It's physically impossible." Well it was worth asking, at least.

"I understand... Well, let's do it. Let's send me back." Hydreigon nods as a yellow energy envelopes me. The same light I saw rising into the sky atop this very hill. The ones holding the deceased humans that fell to Munna or Kyurem. It feels thick in the air, slowing my movements. "Is... Is this it? Have they forgotten me?"

"They have, Alex... No one knows you even exist." Even though I knew this would happen, I still feel my heart break. I just can't imagine the people I have lived with for so long would look at me like I'm a complete stranger. All our relationships... Gone...

"Then there's no going back..." I fight to hold back my tears. I'm not entirely sure why. But I do. I feel the orb that encases me ascending. I watch as the horizon falls beneath me, showing the vast stretches of land that occupy this world. And there, hovering above the sky, the Rainbows of Hope. At least this is what I leave behind. A world returning to peace. With my friend at the helm of the change.

"Alex, soon I'll have to leave. You're going to high for me to follow. Before I go, Thunder wanted you to have this in the event that you did have to leave." He pulls out something with his jaws. A frism. Thunder's frism. He gave up such a rare and priceless artifact for me? And... There's a recording... Hydreigon reaches through the orb, handing me the frism. "So... It's time that I leave. Goodbye Alex. I wish you well." He said as he fades away. Now I'm alone... I feel so, so alone... Wait, what's the recording on the frism? Out of curiosity I melt the ice on the opening and listen.

"Alex? Can you hear me?" It's Thunder's voice... I feel tears well in my eyes as I hear the voice of me dear friend. "So... Hydreigon tells me you have to go... And that we will not remember anything about you..." Hydreigon... Why did you have to tell them? "I understand why you didn't tell us yourself. And... I'm sorry that it has to be like this. But before you go, I have to tell you something... You mean so much to me... More than you even know. I don't remember my childhood. I don't remember my parents or ever living in a real home. Before I met you I was a wanderer. Never staying in one place very long. Never taking the time to make friends. But then you dropped into my life. Literally. And... You were the first person I could ever truly call a friend. Someone I would be comfortable telling my darkest secrets to. Someone who I can trust to have my back no matter what. And... I'll be honest. I'm afraid to forget that...

"But what's done is done... I want you to keep this. Something to remember me by. To remember us by. Who knows? Maybe we will cross paths again. Now, the others want to say some things."

"Alex..." Gurdurr? "Because of you, I am back into my old life. I cannot express how grateful I am for that."

"You helped me through a hard time in my life." Virizion... "Without you I'd be the same callous Pokemon I was when we first met. Thank you."

"Not only that, but you saved my sister." Umbreon... "I assure you, we are both eternity grateful for that."

"And you created New Hope to help clean up this world." Emolga... "And I know you're gonna miss me. You can't lie." Of course I will Emolga... I'll miss all of you...

"So farewell Alex." Thunder says, apparently wrapping the recording up. "Whatever path life leads you, know that we support you every step of the way. No amount of memory loss will change that. Goodbye, Alex... Thank you... For everything." ...silence...

I can't hold it in any longer. The tears fall in force. My emotions spill out. The only thing I have left of this world is the frism. Now empty. Without the voice of my best friend... "Thunder..." I sob. Floating higher and higher into the sky. And I feel light headed. I guess that means I'm just about to return home. Goodbye, Pokèmar... Goodbye, Pokemon Paradise...

Goodbye, Thunder...


	40. (?)

_"An intriguing tale... But why show me this?"_

 _"Because that human is far more important than anyone realizes."_

 _"Are you saying he is one of The Four?"_

 _"Patience. All will be revealed in time. For the Bittercold was but a thunderclap in the storm. One of many to come. And this human will be integral in it."_

 _"So will we return him?"_

 _"Not yet... The time is not right. We must wait..."_

 _"As you wish, my Lord."_

 **To be continued in...**

 **Munna's Retribution**


End file.
